WASHINGTON, Sept 9: After days of nerve-wrecking tensions, there is a possibility that the pastor of a fringe Christian fundamentalist group may agree not to burn copies of the Holy Quran on the ninth anniversary of the Sept 11, 2011, terrorist attacks.

The White House said on Thursday it was considering calling controversial Florida pastor Terry Jones to request that he not proceed with this Saturday's scheduled burning that has sparked fears of violence worldwide.

The ray of hope appeared after pastor Jones said he was willing to listen to a call from the White House, Pentagon or State Department, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said at the daily press briefing.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said “there are discussions about the possibility of doing that… I don't know if a final decision has been made on that”.

When asked if President Barack Obama would be making any calls to Mr Jones, the spokesman said it was under discussion that “someone from inside the administration” would make an appeal.

President Obama has criticised the proposed burning of the holy book, and Mr Gibbs said the planned bonfire was a “monumentally terrible idea”.

The Pentagon spokesman said US Defence Secretary Robert Gates was involved in talks about whether a phone call to Mr Jones was warranted

Earlier on Thursday several FBI agents made an unannounced visit to Mr Jones' church, the Dove Outreach Centre in Gainesville, Florida.

The planned burning 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 Mr Jones goes ahead with his plan.

The US State Department issued a warning to Americans living abroad or travelling the potential for violent protests before and after the scheduled burning. In addition to public statements from President Obama, Gen David Petraeus, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and others have urged Mr Jones not to go through with his plan.

In an interview to ABC television channel, Mr Obama said Mr Jones's “stunt” would endanger Americans.

“If he's listening, I just hope he understands that what he's proposing to do is completely contrary to our values as Americans. This country has been built on the notions of religious freedom and religious tolerance,” said Mr Obama.

But pastor Jones, obviously gloating in the infamy that his stunt has brought him, declared that he would go ahead with the burning.

“As of right now, we feel that this message is that important. We are still determined to do it, yes,” Mr Jones, a former hotel manager who became a priest without proper training or education, told CBS.

President Obama tried another approach.

“And as a very practical matter, as commander in chief of the armed forces of the United States, I just want him to understand that this stunt that he is talking about pulling could greatly endanger our young men and women in uniform who are in Iraq, who are in Afghanistan.

“We're already seeing protests against Americans, just by the mere threat that he's making.”

But the pastor, whose daughter has accused him of stealing the church money, rejected the appeal. Asked if he was worried about the consequences of the proposed burning, President Obama said: “This is a recruitment bonanza for Al Qaeda. You know, you could have serious violence in places like Pakistan or Afghanistan. This could increase the recruitment of individuals who'd be willing to blow themselves up in American cities or European cities.”

He then appealed to the preacher to reconsider his decision.

Mr Jones, who was also accused of practising “a distinctive demonology and brainwashing” at a church he founded in Cologne, Germany, and was accused of having “a delusional personality”, refused to listen.

Senator John McCain, Mr Obama's opponent in the 2008 presidential election, said in a Twitter message: “Pastor Jones' threats to burn the Quran will put American service men/women in danger — for their sake please don't do it.”