By DANIEL HERATY
Times-Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN – The Florida pastor best known for holding a trial for the Quran in March is returning to town.
Terry Jones, who heads Stand Up America!, a group based in Gainesville, Fla., on Tuesday emailed members of the media to announce plans to return June 17 in order to attend the Arab International Festival.
Mayor John O’Reilly Jr. said the latest appearance by Jones is just a money-making venture, and that Jones’ rhetoric is baseless.
“He’s just a person who has nothing of value to say,” O’Reilly said. “He doesn’t add anything to any legitimate conversation.”
Jones caused a stir in April when he announced plans to protest “radical Islam” in front of the Islamic Center of America, 19500 Ford Road. Following a trial where he and an associate pastor were jailed after refusing to post a $1 peace bond, he returned a week later to hold his protest in front of Dearborn City Hall.
The protest on April 29 drew a crowd of several hundred people, mainly protesters. Jones approached the barrier in front of him, against the orders of police, which drew the anger of the crowd across the street from him.
Afterward, Jones told a group of reporters that he planned to return, but did not say when.
(Daniel Heraty can be reached at [email protected].)