I'll post this here first before breaking this heart breaking news elsewhere.

I apologise to all Muslims for the recent Qur'an burnings in and around Vancouver, Canada. There have been a number of secret meetings in the city and environs during which people have burnt Qur'ans.

I find this deplorable, and I am sorry to write that it happened at all. I urge all concerned to stop burning Qur'ans. The planned Qur'an burning should not take place. Those in Burnaby, Surrey, and White Rock who burned Qur'ans have already received copies of this plea, and I hope those in North Vancouver and Haney will also receive them soon.

I understand that those who meet to burn Qur'ans in New West Minster are refusing to cease their activities. This is shameful. Please, do not continue this activity.

The Qur'an burnings planned for tomorrow evening in the above mentioned cities should not take place.

Those who are expressing a wilingness to join this activity in such places as Prince George and Penticton should consider the depths of feeling this will provoke in our Muslim communities, and simple prudence should encourage them to cease all such considerations immediately.

I ask that all concerned forward this notice to people who might be similarly concerned. I think it's high time that we inform our Muslim friends that even though there are dozens of Qur'an burnings going on in Vancouver weekly that it represents only a small minorty of extremists, not the vast majority of peaceful citizens here who know that Islam is a religion of peace.

Thank you, Dag.