Jackson facing custody battle: report

Embattled pop star Michael Jackson will be sued for the custody of the children he had with former wife Debbie Rowe, it has been reported.

Court papers will be filed in California within the next two weeks, in which Ms Rowe accuses the 45-year-old singer of being "unfit" to be a father, it was claimed.

The planned lawsuit, reported by the Sun newspaper, comes after Jackson was charged with sexually abusing a teenage boy suffering from cancer at his Neverland ranch.

Jackson pleaded not guilty to the charges at a court appearance last week which ended with him whipping his fans into a frenzy by climbing onto the roof of his van.

Ms Rowe, 41, will reportedly lodge legal papers suing for custody of Prince Michael, six, and Paris, five.

It is also claimed that she has offered to raise Jackson's third child, Prince Michael II, whose mother is not known.

Ms Rowe's lawyer, Iris Finsilver, said: "I cannot make any comment. I cannot confirm or deny it."

A spokesman for Jackson could not be immediately reached.

According to the Sun, Ms Rowe is concerned that her children are not having a normal upbringing because they have little interaction with other children and are made to wear masks when out in public.

Ms Rowe, who is Jewish, is also said to be worried that the black separatist group, the Nation of Islam, may have influence over the children, as its members are currently handling the pop star's security.

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