Florida Pastor Who Vowed to Burn Korans Billed for Security; Says Church Would Go Bankrupt

Sept. 21, 2010— -- The controversial Florida pastor who threatened to burn Korans on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks is expected to be billed at least $200,000 by the city of Gainesville for costs associated with the stunt.

Pastor Terry Jones, who got international attention with his on-again, off-again plan to burn 200 copies of Islam's holiest book, said the costs would essentially bankrupt his 50-member church, the Dove World Outreach Center.

"That would be impossible for us to pay," Jones said. "That would bankrupt us, of course."

Jones, 58, vowed to fight the security bill in court and said he plans to move his church to Tampa because of what he called a lack of support in Gainesville.

The maverick preacher eventually called off his protest after increasing pressure from Washington and beyond.

Still, the security bills from the Gainesville Police Department and the Alachua County Sheriff's Office alone are estimated at $180,000, according to a police spokeswoman.

And that figure will rise when costs are added from the Gainesville fire and public works departments, as well as other agencies that responded to an event that drew international attention to the city of 125,000.

"In the 10 years I've been with City of Gainesville government, we've not had a situation that has occurred like this before," said Bob Woods, a city spokesman. "The city manager has made it clear that he will provide a full accounting of our expenses to the Dove World Outreach Center."

Law enforcement agencies spent more than a month working on security plans to ensure the community surrounding Jones' church was safe, Gainesville police spokeswoman Cpl. Tscharna Senn said. Jones also told authorities he received numerous death threats because of the planned protest.

"We've had nothing that I can remember that involved this much planning and the use of this many resources in the 17 years I've been here," Senn said. "We have 286 sworn officers and almost every one was working, either at the Dove Center or at other soft targets."

Officers secured malls in the region, the University of Florida's football stadium and neighborhoods surrounding the church in the days leading up to the planned event.

"His church is in the middle of very large residential communities and our number one consideration was the safety of the residents," Senn said. "We could not risk having their protection compromised. We did not want to be caught off guard."