° Not observed 
TORONTO - Word that an organizer dropped a controversial plan to commemorate the 9-11 terrorist attacks by burning copies of the Qur'an was greeted with relief Thursday by a Muslim organization that appealed directly to the event organizer.
Earlier in the day, the Muslim Canadian Congress joined Canadian faith groups of all denominations in denouncing pastor Terry Jones’s plan to torch the Muslim holy text at his 50-member church in Gainesville, Fla.
The Congress issued a direct appeal to Jones asking him to cancel the book-burning and asserting the terrorists responsible for the carnage nine years ago did not represent all followers of Islam.
Congress spokeswoman Raheel Raza said the organization was pleased to hear that Jones had cancelled the event after reportedly reaching a deal with the leader of a plan to build a mosque at Ground Zero. Jones said he called off the burning after winning assurances that the proposed mosque’s location would be changed.
“That’s a very sensible thing to have done because this idea of burning the Qur’an is a very inflammatory move, and it would not have in any way given a message of freedom or tolerance. I totally understand that he had the rights, but I have always said that having rights doesn’t make an action right,” Raza said in a telephone interview.
In the hours leading up to Jones’s announcement, Canadian Faith groups set aside differences of doctrine and spoke out unanimously against the proposal, which also drew sharp condemnation from world leaders and international law enforcement organizations.
Mohamed Elmasry, founding president of the Canadian Islamic Congress, spoke out against both the proposal and the man behind it.<
“The act is very insulting and it will accomplish nothing. It’s an act which is very deliberate by a person who’s interested in the welfare of no one,” Elmasry said.<
Elmasry praised the strong stance taken by world leaders including Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who cast aside his usual reticence on religious matters to speak out against Jones’s proposal.<
“I don’t speak very often about my own religion but let me be very clear: My God and my Christ is a tolerant God, and that’s what we want to see in this world,” Harper said.<
“I unequivocally condemn it... We all enjoy freedom of religion and that freedom of religion comes from a tolerant spirit. I don’t think that’s the way you treat other faiths, as different as those faiths may be from your own.”<
The Canadian Jewish Congress invoked images of past intolerance in its denunciation of Jones’s plan.<
“We are astounded that in the post Holocaust era so-called Pastor Terry Jones would advocate the burning of the Qur’an. While the terrorist actions of Islamic extremists must be confronted and fought vigorously, book-burning can never be tolerated,” Congress chief executive Bernie Farber said in a statement. “We unilaterally condemn such actions and stand with all those who support freedom and democracy.”<
The Canadian Council of Catholic Bishops declined to comment directly, referring all inquiries to the Vatican. The Holy See press office had previously issued a statement expressing ”great concern” at the proposal.<
“These deplorable acts of violence, in fact, cannot be counteracted by an outrageous and grave gesture against a book considered sacred by a religious community. Each religion, with its respective sacred books, places of worship and symbols, has the right to respect and protection,” the Vatican said.<
International opponents of Jones’s plan warned the pastor would be taking tremendous safety risks if the event went ahead as scheduled.<
Interpol, the international police organization, issued an alert to its 188 member-countries _ including Canada _ warning of a “strong likelihood” of violent attacks if the burning had gone forward. The RCMP said it planned to ”exercise a heightened level of vigilance” in the coming days.<
During an appearance on ”Good Morning America,” Obama described the event as a ”dangerous stunt” and advised Jones he could be putting foreign troops in peril and inciting suicide bombers on American soil.<
But late Thursday Jones said he was rethinking his decision to cancel the Qur'ran burning contending he was lied to.
Muslim leaders deny they agreed to move the planned Islamic centre from New York's Ground Zero. They say they only agreed to meet Jones and discuss the matter.
_ With files from the Associated Press
