Two websites run by Quran-burning pastor Terry Jones have been taken down by his church's web hosting company Rackspace.
Rev Jones plans to hold an anti-Islam protest this weekend at the church he runs in Gainesville, Florida. Hundreds of copies of the Islamic holy book the Quran will be burned.
Rackspace says his actions are "malicious", and have used a "no hate speech" clause in his church's contract to justify removing the sites.
One of the sites is the Dove World Outreach Centre's official site; the other, a site promoting Rev Jones' book Islam is of the Devil.
"We feel that it's definitely an indirect attack on our freedom of speech," says Rev Jones.
Website SFGate.com said Rev Jones' complaints made no sense – as Rackspace is a private company, not a government organisation – but also criticised the web host for overstepping the mark.
"There is absolutely no reason for web hosts to have an editorial policy, and this only gives Jones more attention, and makes him look more persecuted," wrote Nick Saint, "which, after all, is exactly what the lunatic is after. "
President Barack Obama has condemned the protest, calling it a 'stunt'.
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