New reports of Jackson sighting at mall emerge

Reports that Michael Jackson was in Ibn Battuta Mall this week have been given added credence by a shop worker who claims to have seen him make a separate visit there two weeks ago.

The Australian shop worker said the singer and his entourage looked round some shops before going to watch a film.

As reported in Gulf News' late edition yesterday, shoppers at Ibn Battuta Mall were convinced they saw Jackson there on Saturday evening.

Jackson allegedly visited a ladies toilet before taking refuge in Magrudys bookshop when crowds gathered. Police arrived on the scene in large numbers. According to the Australian shop worker who spoke to Gulf News, there was no doubt that Jackson went to the mall a fortnight back.

"It was definitely him," she said. She claimed Jackson was wearing an abaya along with the traditional woman's headscarf during the visit.

One of her colleagues realised it was Michael Jackson beneath the disguise and then "spoke to him for about 15 minutes" before he headed for the cinema with his companions.

Apparently Jackson was with his children, a male friend in national dress and a team of security people.

Ten weeks ago the King of Pop definitely came to Dubai for a short visit, during which he toured the sites and enjoyed a bite to eat at the Hard Rock Café and the Burj Al Arab.

Jackson, who is living in Bahrain, was accompanied by a son of His Majesty King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa and by UAE champion rally driver Mohammad Ben Sulayem.

When contacted by Gulf News yesterday, Ben Sulayem declined to say whether or not Jackson was currently in Dubai. "It's for him to say. Maybe he doesn't want to say," he said.

Jackson's visit in late August attracted worldwide media attention, with dozens of newspapers carrying pictures of a smiling Jackson posing with Bahrain's Shaikh Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Khalifa. Jackson visited the offices of developer Nakheel and saw The World and The Palm projects.

The media were interested in the trip because Jackson's sunny demeanour during his visit contrasted sharply with his unhappy look when he was being tried earlier this year on child abuse charges. Jackson was cleared on all charges.

Ibn Battuta Mall was contacted by Gulf News but did not return calls.