Pastor says he won't burn the Quran

Terry Jones will not burn the Quran, "today or ever."

That was the clear message the Florida pastor sent in a television appearance Saturday morning. Jones had announced - and wavered on - plans to burn copies of the Quran to mark the ninth anniversary of Sept. 11, in New York.

"We feel that when we started this, one of our reasons was to show, to expose that there is an element of Islam that is very dangerous and very radical," Jones said on the "Today Show." "I feel we have definitely accomplished that mission even though we have not burned the Quran."

Jones added that he has received "more than 100 death threats" since he announced his plans to burn the Quran. He said he still wants to meet with Feisal Abdul Rauf, imam of a proposed Islamic community center near the former World Trade Center site.

Jones' earlier announcement of plans to burn the Quran are expected to inspire protesters and counter-protesters Saturday near the site of a proposed Islamic community center.

Even if the community center eventually opens, Jones' Dove World Outreach Center will not sanction a Quran burning, Jones said.

"Not today, not ever," Jones said of the burning that was scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday. "It's totally canceled."

Nearby and around the country, the nation is expected to pause at 8:40 a.m. Saturday to remember the victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks. Dozens of memorials are planned, including at Ground Zero and at Point Lookout in Long Beach, Long Island.