Muslim extremists would certainly use the images of a Florida pastor torching the Koran on 9/11 to demonize the United States — but terrorists will simply find some other propaganda tool if the event is canceled. So says Ronald Kessler, Newsmax's chief Washington correspondent and the author of several best-selling books on national security, including "In the President's Secret Service: Behind the Scenes With Agents in the Line of Fire and the Presidents They Protect."
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"No question this would be used by Muslim extremists in particular to demonize the United States," Kessler tells Newsmax.TV in an exclusive interview. "But you know, they have lots of other rallying cries as well. They have Gitmo, if they don't have Gitmo and the president sends them some other place, they would use that. They really don't care what the issue is."
Extremists also will try to use the trial of 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed against the United States, whether he's tried in civilian court or in a military tribunal, Kessler says.
President Obama warned on Thursday that if Pastor Terry Jones carries out plans to burn copies of the Koran on Saturday, it will be a "recruitment bonanza" for al-Qaida.
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