Terry Jones banned from Britain over Quran controversy

Terry Jones, the Florida pastor who sparked a global outcry over his threats to burn the Quran, has been banned from entering Britain.

"The government opposes extremism in all its forms which is why we have excluded Pastor Terry Jones from the UK," according to a statement by a Home Office spokesperson. "Numerous comments made by Pastor Jones are evidence of his unacceptable behavior."

Jones, pastor of the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, caused an uproar when he vowed to hold an International Burn a Quran Day last September in protest of the attacks of September 11, 2001. Jones, whose plans led to protests in Afghanistan, backed down in the face of mounting pressure and did not hold the event.

Jones had been invited to visit Britain in mid-February by a group called England Is Ours to speak at demonstrations against "the expansion of Islam and the construction of Mosques here in the UK," according to the Daily Telegraph. England Is Ours is an anti-Islamic group with connections to the British National Party.

The pastor has promised to take legal action against the ban, according to CNN.

He also blamed the ban on militant Islam in the UK.

"This ban exemplifies the sabotage of the basic human rights of freedom of speech and freedom of expression. The ban also proves the effectiveness of the threat of militant Islam in the UK as one is not free to travel to the UK due to the speculation of violence," he said in a statement.

DISCUSSION: Should Jones be allowed to travel to the UK? Does he pose a threat to the public good? On what grounds should a country refuse entry to someone? Leave your comments below.

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