Afghan Protests Against Koran Burning Turn Violent

Heat over a Florida church’s plans to burn Korans on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks is being felt as far away as Afghanistan.

Gen. David Petraeus, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, warned that Florida pastor Terry Jones’ incendiary stunt could put American troops’ lives in danger and drum up support for terrorists.

“It could endanger troops and it could endanger the overall effort,” Petraeus told the newspaper. “It is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems. Not just here, but everywhere in the world we are engaged with the Islamic community.”

The U.S. top commander in Afghanistan and other officials fear video footage of Korans being burned would be a PR gift for terrorist groups to incite more violence.

On Monday, hundreds of Afghan protestors chanted “Death to America” as they protested the planned Koran burning by Jones’ Dove World Outreach Center through the streets of Kabul, the Associated Press reported.