Pastor Terry Jones of Gainesville, Fla., emerged from his church in Gainesville, Fla., along with Florida Imam Muhammad al-Masri to announce his decision to cancel his Koran burning, saying he viewed the supposed deal as "a sign from God."
The fiery pastor said that Imam Abdel Rauf, the leader behind the Ground Zero mosque in Manhattan, will meet with him in New York on Saturday.
"He has agreed to move it," Jones said referring to the Ground Zero Mosque. "And we have agreed to cancel our event on Saturday."
"Americans don't want the mosque there and of course Muslims don't want us to burn Korans," said Jones.
The White House is considering having a member of the administration call pastor Terry Jones in an attempt to head off this weekend's bonfire of Korans, which has sparked threats of violence worldwide.
"I am glad that Pastor Jones has decided not to burn any Korans," Rauf said. "However, I have not spoken with Pastor Jones or Imam Musri. I am surprised by their announcement."
"We are not going to toy with our religion or any other. Nor are we here to barter. We are here to extend our hand to build peace and harmony," he said.
A denial also came from the developer of the property.
"The Muslim Community Center called Park51 in Lower Manhattan is not being moved," read a statement from SoHo Properties, the developer of the community center that is being called the Ground Zero Mosque.
Asked about the Imam's denial of the relocation of the Mosque Jones said he was "lied to."
"I was told exactly the imam would move the mosque from ground zero," said Jones. "I have his word he will move the mosque to a different location."
Al-Masri, head of the Islamic Society of Central Florida, brokered the conversation between Jones and Rauf. He told CNN that he spoke with Rauf's wife, Daisy Kahn.
Al-Masri said he thought the planned New York mosque should be moved, saying, "the placement of the mosque near Ground Zero is unnecessary and it has become a clear provocation to many people to be violent against mosques across the nation."
Pastor Terry Jones Says He'll No Longer Burn Korans
Jones decision came on the heels of a chaotic day during which Secretary of Defense Robert Gates called Jones in an effort to head off the Koran burning and real estate guru Donald Trump offered to buy out one of the investors of the site for 25 percent more than they had paid.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates called the pastor this afternoon to express his "grave concerns" about conducting the Koran burning because it could place U.S. military lives at risk.
Gates placed a call between 4 and 4:30pm today and engaged the pastor in a "very brief conversation." Morrell says "the Secretary expressed his grave concerns that going forward with the Koran burning would put the lives of American servicemembers at risk , especially in Iraq and Afghanistan and he urged him not to proceed with the burning."
Leaders of Pakistan, Indonesia and India called on the U.S. take actions to prevent Jones from desecrating the Islamic holy book, and Afghan insurgents were distributing flyers about the koran burn to inflame villagers against Americans.
President Obama has criticized the proposed burning of Islam's holy book , and Gibbs today said the planned bonfire of Korans was a "monumentally terrible idea."
In an interview with ABC's "Good Morning America" today Obama called Jones' plan, should he go through with it, "a recruitment bonanza for Al Qaeda."
President Obama's Twitter account also tweeted, "Burning a Quran is contrary to our values—this country was built on the notions of religious freedom and tolerance."
Earlier today several FBI agents visited Jones at his church , the Dove Outreach Center in Gainesville, Fla.
Jones has vowed to hold an "International Burn a Koran Day" on Saturday, the ninth year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
FBI sources tell ABC News that the agents were there to brief Jones on all the death threats he's received and to discuss how they're going to protect him and the church on Saturday.
Jones planned bonfire of Korans has sparked a worldwide debate over what kind of security risks the event may cause.
The international police agency Interpol released a warning to governments worldwide of an increased risk of terror attacks if Jones goes ahead with his plan.
The U.S. State Department also issued a warning to Americans living and traveling abroad about the potential for violent protests before and after the scheduled burning.
Gainesville Police Department Public Information Officer Corporal Tscharna Senn declined to details plans to patrol the event, but said that the department is "taking this very seriously."
"We are very concerned for everyone's safety," said Senn. "However we have planned and believe that we have a very adequate plan in place to keep [the people of Gainesville] safe."
The estimated cost of the extra security planned for Jones' event is "tens of thousands of dollars," according to Gainesville City Manager Russ Blackburn. Blackburn said he'll "send Pastor Jones the bill."
"We want him to at least be aware of the cost incurred because of his actions," he said.
There also may be early signs of copycats. According to The Associated Press, a Springfield, Tenn., minister says he also plans to burn a Koran on Saturday, saying that he thinks Jones is "doing the right thing."
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