The Former Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam) Gets Plane Diverted

[SJ]

The Former Cat Stevens Gets Plane Diverted

 

 

 

By LESLIE MILLER, Associated Press Writer

 

WASHINGTON - A plane bound for Washington from London was diverted to Maine on Tuesday after passenger Yusuf Islam — formerly known as pop singer Cat Stevens — showed up on a U.S. watch list, federal officials said.

 

 

 

United Airlines Flight 919 had already taken off from London en route to Dulles International Airport when the match was made between the passenger and the watch list, said Nico Melendez, a spokesman for the Transportation Security Administration.

 

 

The plane was met by federal agents at Maine's Bangor International Airport around 3 p.m., Melendez said.

 

 

Federal officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, identified the individual as Islam.

 

 

One official said Islam, 56, was identified by the Advanced Passenger Information System, which requires airlines to send passenger information to U.S. Customs and Border Protection's National Targeting Center. TSA was then contacted and requested that the plane land at the nearest airport, the official said.

 

 

"He was interviewed and denied admission to the United States on national security grounds," said Homeland Security spokesman Dennis Murphy. He said the man would be put on the first available flight out of the country Wednesday.

 

 

Islam, who was born Stephen Georgiou, took Cat Stevens as a stage name and had a string of hits in the 1960s and '70s, including "Wild World" and "Morning Has Broken." Last year he released two songs, including a re-recording of his '70s hit "Peace Train," to express his opposition to the U.S.-led war in Iraq (news - web sites).

 

 

He abandoned his music career in the late 1970s and changed his name after being persuaded by orthodox Muslim teachers that his lifestyle was forbidden by Islamic law. He later became a teacher and an advocate for his religion, founding a Muslim school in London in 1983.

 

 

Islam recently condemned the school seizure by militants in Beslan, Russia, earlier this month that left more than 300 dead, nearly half of them children.

 

 

In a statement on his Web site, he wrote, "Crimes against innocent bystanders taken hostage in any circumstance have no foundation whatsoever in the life of Islam and the model example of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him."

 

 

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On the Net:

 

 

Yusuf Islam: http://www.yusufislam.org.uk/

[Curly]

Yeah but what where the grounds on which he was denied?

 

I call that bull discrimination, walahi they've gone too far!

[AYOUB]

Once bitten twice shy.

[Reality Check]

They put him on the Watch list because he donated money to Muslim charities.

 

 

Gee, he also donated money to the 9/11 funds...why didn't he get deported for that?

 

 

Such atrocities.....

 

Another official said the department is "extremely confident in the information" which "without a doubt" is credible. Officials will not say which charities are involved.

Without a doubt?

[Section6er]

what!!!!!!!! America has the right to stop anybody from coming into the country. Just like any other country can stop anybody from coming into their country. They dont need a reason from stopping anybody to enter.