U.S. Islamic group snubs Malaysian PM

U.S. Islamic group snubs Malaysian PM

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir
Mohamad, calling himself "thick-skinned", has hit back at a U.S.-
based Islamic group in the latest international sparring over
jailed former finance minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Mahathir said he did not feel snubbed that the Illinois-based
Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) had withdrawn an
invitation for the 74-year-old leader to address its convention
in Illinois next week.

Local news reports said ISNA had backtracked on the invitation
after members expressed indignation over the nine-year jail
sentence which Anwar received at the end of his sodomy trial this
month.

The official Bernama news agency quoted Mahathir as saying
ISNA had become an Anwar supporter.