Jailed former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim today slammed the prison authorities for searching his cell last Friday, calling it an attempt to rattle him before his final appeal next Monday against his corruption conviction.

According to his statement released by his lawyer Sankara Nair in a press conference today, a special task force with five prison officers from the headquarters "swept every nook and corner" of his cell at around 11am using metal detectors to look for communication devices.

"I vehemently protest the inhumane manner that I am being treated, amongst others, the constant undue harassment that I am put to in the last few weeks, not only by the Sungai Buloh prison authorities, but now to top it all, this special task force from prison HQ," said Anwar.

According to Anwar, while it was common and routine for prison officers to conduct such searches in the prison system and regular checks of his cell has been made in the past the searches had however increased lately and they did not appear routine.

The prison officials were purported looking for, among others, a telephone, Anwar said.

He added that the searches had yielded nothing.

Anwar accused Home Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi of abusing his powers by misdirecting the prison authorities to engage in "deliberate political harassment".

"I also feel this is clearly an attempt to frustrate my thoughts, unsettle my mind, and to rattle my spirits in the light of the impending Federal Court appeal next week.

"It has become a pattern to subject me to such forms of harassment especially before a court hearing," he said.

Anwar is serving two consecutive jail sentences at the Sungai Buloh prison. He is appealing against his corruption charges before a three-member bench on Monday.

His appeal has been postponed three times.

Nobel Peace Prize

On another matter, Keadilan president and Anwar's wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail told reporters at the same press conference that she was elated after reading a Reuters report that Anwar was one of those tipped to be nominated for this year's Nobel Peace Prize.

Others on the list of nominees included former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani, environmental and media groups and even pop stars.

"It is an honour and this is the first time that a Malaysian was linked to this prestigious prize. It is a boost for all including supporters and reformists both international and local," Wan Azizah said.

"It is a recognition of his sacrifices and the things he has done and the sufferings he has gone through," she added.

Nobel laureates are chosen annually by a committee in Norway and entails a prize money and a trophy to be presented in December each year.

The number of nominations for last year's award, which was won by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, totalled 126.

Not a political prize

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad scoffed at the prospect of Anwar being nominated, saying that it was 'very good'.

He said that the Nobel Peace Prize has now become a "political" prize.

"They give awards so as to ensure that these people [Nobel laureates] can do whatever they like and be protected.

"It is no more a peace prize. There is no peace, in fact the idea is to ensure that there is a struggle and destabilise the country and people would have fun reporting," he said.

When asked to comment on allegations that Anwar was being harassed by prison authorities with alleged 'spot checks' before his appeal, Mahathir also dismissed the allegations.

"Even if we don't (harass Anwar) they will say the same thing. They know more about my supposed plot more than I do, I haven't done anything but they say I am plotting. So they must know a lot of things more than I do," he said.

Anwar has continually claimed that he was victim of a conspiracy which caused a downfall from his position as deputy premier in 1998.