State Department tells US embassies to brace for protests over Quran burnings

US embassies brace for Quran burning protests

WASHINGTON — The State Department has ordered U.S. embassies around the world to assess their security ahead of a Florida church group’s planned weekend burning of the Muslim holy book amid fears it could spark anti-American violence.

Officials said Wednesday that U.S. diplomatic posts have been instructed to convene “emergency action committees” to determine the potential for protests over the congregation’s plans to burn the Quran to commemorate the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The posts are to warn American citizens in countries where protests may occur.

The move underscores the Obama administration’s deep concern that Saturday’s planned Quran burning will inflame anti-American sentiment, particularly in the Arab and Muslim world, and put U.S. troops, diplomats and travelers at risk.

The Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville has rebuffed appeals from Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and senior military commanders to cancel its plans.

It was not immediately clear how many embassies had completed the security review, but the U.S. Embassy in Algiers issued an alert to Americans in Algeria on Wednesday saying that “media reports of the upcoming threatened Quran burning by a small Gainesville, Florida, group could affect the security of U.S. citizens overseas.”

“If the event proceeds, it could trigger reaction and protests in Muslim countries around the world, possibly including Algeria,” the alert said.