Anger over Jackson's anti-Semitic comments

NEW YORK - The Anti-Defamation League demanded an apology from pop star Michael Jackson after a report he referred to Jews as "leeches" in a telephone message to a former business adviser.

"Michael Jackson has an anti-Semitic streak, and hasn't learnt from his past mistakes. It seems every time he has a problem in his life, he blames it on Jews," Abraham Foxman, the group's national director, said in a statement.

The ADL statement cited tapes of a 2003 voice mail message aired on ABC's "Good Morning America" in which Jackson was heard saying: "They suck ... . They're like leeches. ... I'm so tired of it. ... It is a conspiracy. The Jews do it on purpose."

ABC News said it obtained the messages placed by Jackson to a former adviser who has filed a lawsuit against the singer.

The ADL castigated Jackson in 1995 over lyrics in his song "They Don't Care About Us": "Jew Me, sue me, everybody do me. Kick me, kike me." The pop icon apologised and changed the lyrics.

"We had hoped that Jackson would have learnt from his mistakes," Foxman said. "It is clear now that he never was able to completely remove the bigotry from his own heart."

The statement demanded an apology to Jews everywhere and fans who have been offended by Jackson's words.

- REUTERS