Obama made the statement during a news conference at the White House, admitting that, when the country is anxious, fears and suspicion can surface.

The remarks came at a time when the country is preparing to commemorate the deadly attacks on American soil that took thousands of lives on September 11, 2001, and amid a spate of controversy involving religion, particularly the planned construction of a mosque near the “Ground Zero” site in New York city.

Also on September 10, Florida Pastor Terry Jones said he will call off his controversial plan to burn copies of the Koran on September 11, but took back from the statement later, saying he had only suspended the plan.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates called Jones to voice his concerns and asked him to nix the plan. President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have both publicly pleaded with Jones to rethink his plan.

Obama said the administration’s interest is not meant to "elevate" the previously obscure Jones. He said burning the Koran would do "profound damage" to US interests abroad, and the country's enemy is not Islam, but extremist groups such as al- Qaeda.