US pastor who planned to burn Qurans faces felony charge

LAKELAND, Fla. – A pastor who said he intended to burn 2,998 Muslim holy books has posted bail after being arrested.

Terry Jones and Marvin Sapp – an associate pastor in Jones’ church – were arrested Wednesday on a felony charge of unlawful conveyance of fuel. Jones was also charged with unlawful open-carry of a firearm, a misdemeanour.

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The sheriff’s office reports that Jones and Sapp drove a pickup truck towing a large barbecue-style grill filled with kerosene-soaked Qurans to a park, where they had intended to burn them – one for every victim of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Jones applied for and didn’t receive a permit.

The two men paid a $1,250 bail and were released from jail Thursday morning. It is unclear whether they have retained an attorney.