Pastor Terry Jones Arrested With Thousands Of Gas-Soaked Korans

Controversial Florida Pastor Terry Jones was arrested on Wednesday for his apparent plans to burn almost 3,000 Korans. The burning of the Islamic holy books was supposed to be part of a September 11 remembrance ceremony.

Jones is best known for being anti-Muslim. He has desecrated the Koran on more than one occasion, sometimes with international consequences.

This time, The Los Angeles Times reports that Terry Jones planned to set fire to 2,998 holy books at a Polk County park for the 12-ear-anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks.

According to one of the news releases, the 2,998 books were supposed to represent one of each of the victims from the attack. Jones’ 2010 attempt to burn Korans didn’t work out either. He canceled the event after international protests and after he was given a warning that he could endanger US troops overseas.

But the warning apparently didn’t stop him this time. The Orlando Sentinel notes that Pastor Terry Jones was arrested alongside his associate pastor, Marvin Sapp, just before 5 pm ET. They were riding in a pickup truck towing a smoker and a trailer filled with gas-soaked Korans.

Extra bottles of kerosene were also spotted in the truck bed. The truck was seized and Sapp was charged with unlawfully transporting fuel and was also ticketed for improper lighting on a trailer.

Meanwhile, Terry Jones was charted with unlawfully transporting fuel and openly carrying a firearm — both felonies. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd explained the incident, saying that his detectives had several conversations with Pastor Jones before Wednesday’s arrest.

Judd explained, “He was told he was welcome to come to Polk County and express his First Amendment rights. However, if he violated the law, he would absolutely be arrested and placed in the county jail.” And that’s exactly what happened.

It is unclear how long Terry Jones will be in jail or what his bail will be set at.