Quran-burning pastor jailed for refusing to pay $1 bond to protest at mosque

In Dearborn, Mich., anti-Islam Pastor Terry Jones and an assistant were ordered to jail tonight after they refused to pay a $1 peace bond to hold a rally at the largest mosque in North America, the Detroit Free Press reports.

After a two-day trial-like hearing, a jury sided with prosecutors and agreed that Jones would likely "breach the peace" with his planned rally outside the Islamic Center of America. Authorities argued that a riot could erupt.

Posecutors had estimated the cost of additional security at about $46,000. But the judge set the so-called peace bond at just $1.

Jones, 59, head a small, fundamentalist Christian congregation in Gainesville, Fla. He has gained notoriety for burning the Muslim holy book last month, leading to deadly riots in Afghanistan, including the killing of U.N. workers.

During the hearing, he said that he and and another pastor intended to protest jihad and Sharia law and did not plan to burn Qurans or images of the prophet Mohammed.

"We are not criminals," said Jones, dressed in faded blue jeans, a black Harley Davison T-shirt and worn motorcycle jacket. "All we want to do is exercise our First Amendment rights."

Counter-demonstrators have been holding their own rally today near the courthouse.

The Free Press, a sister paper to USA TODAY, is live blogging events.

See our earlier post today about Jones accidentally firing his .40-caliber handgun last night.

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