U.S. Quran-burning pastor Terry Jones announced his plans to run for the country’s president next year, ABC News reported.
“Jones says he has begun raising funds, but would not disclose how much. He said he’s looking into getting on the ballot and will likely run as an independent,” ABC reported.
Jones wanted to burn a copy of the Islamic holy book during the last year's anniversary of the September 11 attacks. But he backed down under intense pressure, including interventions from President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Gen. David Petraeus, the commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, who warned that such a stunt would endanger American lives.
However, he supervised the burning of the Islamic holy book at a church in Florida on March 20. The move sparked major unrest in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, in which over 100 people were killed, including 10 members of a UN mission.
