Washington, Sep 9 (AFP): President Barack Obama said on Thursday that plans by a Florida church to burn Quran on the anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks could lead to a "recruitment bonanza" for al-Qaida.
"You know, you could have serious violence in places like Pakistan or Afghanistan," Obama told ABC television in an interview.
"This is a recruitment bonanza for Al Qaeda," Obama said.
"This could increase the recruitment of individuals who'd be willing to blow themselves up in American cities, or European cities," he said.
"I just hope that... he's someone who's motivated by his faith," said Obama, who slammed the plans to burn the Islamic holy book as "destructive" and dangerous.
The president's remarks came on top of global outrage against the plans of the tiny Dove World Outreach Center, a small church in Gainesville, Florida, to go ahead with the Quran burning.
"As of this time we have no intention of canceling," Pastor Terry Jones told a press conference here Wednesday, adding that his evangelical church had received numerous messages of support.
The planned torching of some 200 Quran comes amid an angry debate over plans to build an Islamic center in New York close to where the World Trade Center once stood.
Jones has said he was praying for guidance on whether to go ahead with the incendiary event after warnings from US Afghanistan commander General David Petraeus that US and allied troops could be targeted in revenge.
The gun-toting pastor, who has received death threats, said that the aim of Saturday's three-hour evening event is to send a message to radical Islamists that "it is possibly time for us in a new way to actually stand up and confront terrorism."
But Obama on Thursday denounced the plan as being "completely contrary to our values of Americans."
"This country has been built on the notions of religious freedom and religious tolerance," the US leader said.
"And as a very practical matter, as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the United States, I just want him to understand that this stunt that he is talking about pulling could greatly endanger our young men and women in uniform who are in Iraq, who are in Afghanistan."
The president added that it is "frustrating" that under US law, there is nothing officials can do to stop Jones -- until recently a little-known figure whose congregation numbers just a few dozen people -- from holding Saturday's Koran-burning.
"My understanding is that he can be cited for public burning, but that's the extent of the laws that we have available to us," Obama said.
"You know, part of this country's history is people doing destructive or offensive or harmful things. And yet, we still have to make sure that we're following the laws. And that's part of what I love about this country."