Organization of Islamic Cooperation suspends Sweden’s special envoy over desecration of Quran

BEIRUT (AP) — The Organization of Islamic Cooperation has suspended the status of Sweden’s special envoy over Quran burnings that sparked mass protests in a number of Muslim countries. The 57-nation bloc said Sunday that the suspension was due to the “granting by the Swedish authorities of licenses that enabled the repeated abuse of the sanctity of the Holy Quran and Islamic symbols.” An Iraqi man of Christian origin announced plans to burn the Quran in front of the Iraqi Embassy in Stockholm on Thursday. Demonstrators in Iraq stormed the Swedish Embassy and the government cut off diplomatic relations with Sweden. In the end, the man in Sweden kicked and stepped on a copy of the Quran.