Florida pastor picks up free car for cancelled Koran burning

A FLORIDA pastor who drew international criticism by threatening to burn a copy of the Koran picked up a free car yesterday, his reward from a New Jersey car dealer for calling it off.

Former professional American football player Brad Benson, who is now New Jersey's largest car dealer, offered Florida pastor Terry Jones a 2011 Hyundai Accent worth $14,200 if he would agree to never burn the Muslim holy book.

Jones had threatened to do it on the anniversary of the 11 September, 2001, terror attacks.

Jones never burned the Koran. Yesterday, the Gainesville, Florida, pastor arrived at Brad Benson Mitsubishi Hyundai in New Jersey to collect a grey 2011 Hyundai Accent, which he promptly donated to a charity.

The pastor said the offer Benson made in one of his dealership's quirky ads was not the reason he decided to cancel the Koran burning, and that he only heard about it a few weeks after 11 September.

"We thought if he wants to give a car, then why not take it and pass it on to another non-profit organisation," Jones said.

Jones donated the car a Jersey City shelter that helps abused women.

Paul Johnson, the chief financial officer for Women Rising, said he was surprised to hear that the shelter was getting the car and under such unusual circumstances. "I couldn't believe it at first. I thought it was a prank," Johnson said.

"I'm just really glad that in the end something really good came out of all this," Benson said.