US President Barack Obama has urged a Florida pastor to "listen to those better angels" and call off his plan to engage in a Koran-burning protest this weekend.
Mr Obama called the plan a "stunt" and said he hoped the Rev Terry Jones listened to the pleas of people who have asked him to call it off, declaring: "This is a recruitment bonanza for al Qaida."
His words came as Downing Street also condemned the American clergyman's plan to burn copies of the Koran on September 11.
The Prime Minister's spokesman said he "strongly opposed" any attempt to offend members of a religious group.
As well as the White House and Downing Street, the Vatican, the commander of international forces in Afghanistan General David Petraeus and Tony Blair have also all urged pastor Terry Jones to call off his protest.
But Mr Jones, who leads a tiny Florida church, insisted he would stage "International Burn-a-Koran Day" on Saturday, despite receiving more than 100 death threats.
Anjem Choudary, former leader of the banned Islamist organisation Islam4UK, is reportedly calling on radical Muslim groups around the world to burn American flags outside US embassies in retaliation.
Explaining his plan, Mr Jones said: "Instead of us backing down, maybe it's time to stand up. Maybe it's time to send a message to radical Islam that we will not tolerate their behaviour."
The PM's spokesman said: "Primarily this is an issue for the US, but clearly the government's view is that we would not condone the burning of any book. We would strongly oppose any attempt to offend any member of any religious or ethnic group."
About 200 lawyers and civil society members marched and burned a US flag in the central Pakistani city of Multan, demanding that Washington halt the burning of the Muslim holy book.
US President Barack Obama has urged a Florida pastor to "listen to those better angels" and call off his plan to engage in a Koran-burning protest this weekend.
Mr Obama called the plan a "stunt" and said he hoped the Rev Terry Jones listened to the pleas of people who have asked him to call it off, declaring: "This is a recruitment bonanza for al Qaida."
His words came as Downing Street also condemned the American clergyman's plan to burn copies of the Koran on September 11.
The Prime Minister's spokesman said he "strongly opposed" any attempt to offend members of a religious group.
As well as the White House and Downing Street, the Vatican, the commander of international forces in Afghanistan General David Petraeus and Tony Blair have also all urged pastor Terry Jones to call off his protest.
But Mr Jones, who leads a tiny Florida church, insisted he would stage "International Burn-a-Koran Day" on Saturday, despite receiving more than 100 death threats.
Anjem Choudary, former leader of the banned Islamist organisation Islam4UK, is reportedly calling on radical Muslim groups around the world to burn American flags outside US embassies in retaliation.
Explaining his plan, Mr Jones said: "Instead of us backing down, maybe it's time to stand up. Maybe it's time to send a message to radical Islam that we will not tolerate their behaviour."
The PM's spokesman said: "Primarily this is an issue for the US, but clearly the government's view is that we would not condone the burning of any book. We would strongly oppose any attempt to offend any member of any religious or ethnic group."
About 200 lawyers and civil society members marched and burned a US flag in the central Pakistani city of Multan, demanding that Washington halt the burning of the Muslim holy book.