Pope Francis condemns the burning of the Quran in Sweden

RELIGIOUS NEWS AGENCY (REDNA) – Pope Francis said that he felt “indignant and disgusted” by the burning of the Quran outside a mosque in Stockholm.

In an interview with the United Arab Emirate’s daily Al-Ittihad, Pope Francis added: “Any book considered sacred by its authors must be respected out of respect for its believers, and freedom of expression must never be used as an excuse to despise others”.

Meanwhile the Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has called on the Swedish government to extradite the man who burned a copy of the Quran so he can stand trial in Iraq, his country of origin.

He said it was a grave offence which provoked Muslims’ feelings worldwide.

Burning the Quran, he said, was not within the context of freedom of expression, but rather an incitement for violence and sowing hatred.