Thousands of Afghans in anti-Quran-burning protest

[September 11, 2010]  KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- Thousands of people protested in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday against a small American church's earlier plan to burn the Muslim holy book, chanting "Death to America" and setting shops and police checkpoints on fire, officials said.

Din Mohammad Darwish, spokesman for the governor of Logar province, said police fired warning shots into the air to prevent the protesters from storming the governor's house. He said no injuries were immediately reported.

He said a highway linking Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan was briefly blocked by the protesters.

Nabi Charkhi, the deputy provincial police chief, said more than 10,000 people took part in the protest in the provincial capital, Puli Alam.

At least 11 people were injured in similar protests in Afghanistan on Friday.

A Florida pastor who had announced plans to burn the Quran on the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States traveled to New York on Friday. His son said the Quran burning would not take place Saturday but couldn't say whether it might occur later.

[Associated Press; By RAHIM FAIEZ]

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