EU censures plan to burn holy Quran

The European Union has joined the international tide of condemnation of a Florida-based church, which plans to burn the holy Quran to mark the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

A spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Wednesday expressed the bloc’s strong condemnation of the blasphemous plan by the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida on the ninth anniversary of 9/11.

“The High Representative respects all kinds of religious beliefs and this is not the right way to go,” AFP quoted the spokeswoman as saying.

“We strongly condemn any kind of attempt of this kind.”

Despite a chorus of condemnations, the US officials have failed so far to take a legal step to stop the sacrilegious action, which is viewed by many as a sign of Islamophobia and racism in the United States.

Burning copies of the Muslim holy book coincides with festivities for Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, a time of prayer and fasting for nearly 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide.