BERLIN, Sept 16: Germany has barred notorious US pastor Terry Jones from entering the country after protests across the Muslim world sparked by an anti-Islam film he supports, according to the interior ministry.

A visit by Jones would be contrary to the “interest in maintaining public order”, a ministry spokesman said on Sunday, referring to plans by a far-right group to invite the Florida pastor to Germany.

Jones, who sparked deadly protests in the past with plans for a public burning of Islamic books, has said the provocative low-budget movie ‘Innocence of Muslims’ was not intended to insult Muslims.

The small Pro Deutschland group reportedly wants to stage a Berlin screening of the film that has ignited a wave of protests and sometimes deadly violence in the Muslim world.

“For us, it’s a question of art and freedom of expression,” the group’s leader Manfred Rouhs told the latest edition of news magazine ‘Der Spiegel’.

German Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich also told ‘Der Spiegel’ he would use every legal means at his disposal to stop the group from showing the film.

“Such groups and organisations only want to provoke Germany’s Muslims,” he said, accusing them of recklessly pouring oil on the fire.

Pro Deutschland is known for its provocative demonstrations.—AFP