The US Republican national convention has thunderously booed film maker Michael Moore and his anti-Bush documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 when it was mentioned in a speech.

As Moore looked on from the press gallery, Senator John McCain took the film to task while defending the decision to invade Iraq as the choice between "war and a graver threat".

"Don't let anyone tell you otherwise," Senator McCain said.

"Not our political opponents and certainly not a disingenuous film maker who would have us believe that Saddam's Iraq was an oasis of peace, when in fact it was a place of indescribable cruelty, torture chambers, mass graves and prisons that destroyed the lives of the small children held inside their walls."

The 5,000 Republican delegates gathered at Madison Square Garden erupted into sustained boos at the mention of the film, which accuses Mr Bush of lying about the reasons for the Iraq war and going after the wrong enemy.

"That line was so good, I'll use it again," Senator McCain quipped.

"Certainly not a disingenuous film maker..."

--<strong>AFP</strong>