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Mahathir said he did not feel snubbed that the Illinois-based Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) had withdrawn an invitation for the 74-year-old leader to address its convention in Illinois next week.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