White House fears backlash against troops

September 8, 2010

The Vancouver Sun

A tiny Florida church's plan to burn copies of the Koran on the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks has triggered fears in the White House of a violent backlash against American troops overseas.

"We know that that type of activity is being transmitted back to places like Afghanistan," Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, told reporters Tuesday.

"It puts our troops in harm's way, and obviously any type of activity like that that puts our troops in harm's way would be a concern to this administration."

Gibbs' comments come amid a swirl of controversy surrounding International Burn the Koran Day, an anti-Islam protest being organized by the 50-member Dove World Outreach Center to coincide with Saturday's ninth anniversary of 9/11.

The Gainesville, Fla., church says its members plan to burn the Koran "in remembrance of the fallen victims of 9/11 and to stand against the evil of Islam," according to a Facebook page created to publicize the event.

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