EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton roundly condemned the planned act, while Arab League chief Amr Mussa dubbed the church leader Pastor Terry Jones a "fanatic" and told AFP he was urging Americans to oppose the "destructive approach". Jones's Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, has vowed to mark Saturday's ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks by committing the sacrilegious act as they remember almost 3,000 people killed by al Qaeda hijackers.
The Vatican's Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue said in a statement, "Each religion, with its respective sacred books, places of worship and symbols, has the right to respect and protection". The Vatican council said "deplorable acts of violence" like those in New York and Washington could not be counteracted by such acts. "Each religious leader and believer is also called to renew the firm condemnation of all forms of violence, in particular those committed in the name of religion." The White House added its voice to warnings that the move could trigger outrage around the Islamic world and endanger the lives of US soldiers.
"It puts our troops in harm's way. And obviously any type of activity like that puts our troops in harm's way would be a concern to this administration," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Tuesday. He was reiterating comments by top US and Nato commander in Afghanistan, General David Petraeus, who warned burning the holy book of Islam would provide propaganda for insurgents.
The Agency Co-ordinating Body for Afghan Relief, an umbrella group representing aid groups in Afghanistan, said civilians and its members in the war-wracked country could be killed if Jones goes ahead with his "irresponsible" plan. The United Nations' top envoy for Afghanistan, Staffan de Mistura, said it would harm his staff if "such an abhorrent act were to be implemented, it would only contribute to fuelling the arguments of those who are indeed against peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan".
"It could also put in jeopardy the efforts of so many Afghans and foreigners who are trying to assist Afghanistan to find its own way to peace and stability within the framework of its own culture, traditions and indeed religion." Farhana Khera, executive director of Muslim Advocates, who met with Attorney General Eric Holder on Tuesday said the top US law enforcement official described as "idiotic and dangerous" the Florida church's plan.
Police reportedly cannot intervene until Jones's followers actually light the 200 copies of Holy Book. A senior Muslim Brotherhood official, Essam al-Erian, said in Cairo that the Florida ceremony would be a "barbaric act reminiscent of the Inquisition" and would "increase hatred towards the United States in the Muslim world".
A top official of Cairo's Al-Azhar university, which US President Barack Obama referred to as a "beacon of learning" in an appeal for reconciliation with Muslims, warned that the plan risked destroying ties. "If the government fails to stop this, this will be the latest manifestation of religious terrorism, and it would ruin America's relations with the Muslim world," said Sheikh Abdel Muti al-Bayyumi, who sits on the Sunni Muslim seat of learning's highest council, the Islamic Research Academy.
"This will give an opportunity to terrorism. Are they trying to fight terrorism or encourage it?" Bayyumi asked. Lebanese President Michel Sleiman said the burning of the Holy Quran contradicted Christian teachings. In Gaza, Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesman for the Islamist Hamas movement, called on the US administration in a statement "to stop this crime before it takes place".
Ayatollah Lotfollah Safi Golpaygani, a senior religious expert from Iran's holy city of Qom, said in a statement carried by Iranian media: "The decision to insult this sacred book, is an insult to all (religious) sanctities especially prophets Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Virgin Mary. The German church founded by Jones denounced the plans as "shocking." "We want to distance ourselves fully from this plan and from Jones," said Stephan Baar from the "Christian Community of Cologne" in western Germany.