private void handleRequest(final InterestRequest req) {
      // ignore the request if we are stopped/stopping
      if (isStopRequested()) {
        return;
      }

      if (Thread.currentThread() == this) {
        modifyInterest(req);
      } else {
        final CommThread commTh = req.getCommNIOServiceThread();
        Assert.assertNotNull(commTh);
        commTh.addSelectorTask(
            new Runnable() {
              @Override
              public void run() {
                commTh.handleRequest(req);
              }
            });
      }
    }