FAC News - Sunday, February 17, 2002 1:27 AM

Shaykh Kabbani holds Mahathir in awe

On Friday, 16 February 2002, Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani, the Chairman of the Islamic Supreme Council of America (ISCA), who stirred a hornets’ nest by accusing "a certain ex-Malaysian Minister of funding US Islamic terrorists groups", retracted his statement.

"I never said that the monies received were for extremists’ activities," said Kabbani in Kuala Lumpur. Kabbani, who was visibly shaken by the whole affair, refused to comment further other than denying that the funds were given to the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA).

"I am a preacher, only doing my job in telling the world the beautiful side of Islam," said Kabbani, "Not interfering in the politics of any country."

Kabbani added that he visited Malaysia at least three times a year because he held Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad in awe for his great contributions as a leader of a nation and to the Islamic world.