Passenger Cat Stevens Gets Plane Diverted

[OGPackin]

Passenger Cat Stevens Gets Plane Diverted
London-To-Washington Flight Diverted After Passenger Cat Stevens Found to Be on U.S. Watch List

The Associated Press
WASHINGTON Sept. 22, 2004 — A London-to-Washington flight was diverted to Maine when it was discovered that passenger Yusuf Islam formerly known as singer Cat Stevens was on a government watch list and barred from entering the country.
United Airlines Flight 919 was en route to Dulles International Airport when the match was made Tuesday between a passenger and a name on 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.

Homeland Security Department spokesman Dennis Murphy identified the passenger as Islam. "He was interviewed and denied admission to the United States on national security grounds," Murphy said.

He said Islam would be put on the first available flight out of the country Wednesday.

Officials had no details about why the peace activist might be considered a risk to the United States. Islam had visited New York in May for a charity event and to promote a DVD of his 1976 MajiKat tour.

One official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Islam, 56, was identified by the Advanced Passenger Information System, which requires airlines to send passenger information to Customs and Border Protection's National Targeting Center. The Transportation Security Administration then was contacted and requested that the plane land at the nearest airport, that official said.

Melendez said Islam was questioned by FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

Another federal official, who is in law enforcement and spoke anonymously because of agency policy, said that after the interview, Customs officials decided to deny Islam entry into the United States.

Flight 919 continued on to Dulles after Islam was removed from the flight.

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.

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 founded Islamia Primary school in London in 1983. In 1998, it became the first Muslim school in Britain to receive government support, on the same basis as Christian and other sectarian schools.

A statement posted on a fan-supported Web site where his music is promoted said Islam being on a watch list "is certainly an error."

"It's also a very sad state of affairs when a man best known as a peace loving pop star can be grouped into the same category Osama Bin Laden just because of his chosen faith," the statement said.

Islam drew some negative attention in the late 1980s when he supported the Ayatollah Khomeini's death sentence against Salman Rushdie, author of "The Satanic Verses." Recently, though, Islam has criticized terrorist acts, including the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the school seizure 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."

After the Sept. 11 attacks, Islam issued a statement saying: "No right thinking follower of Islam could possibly condone such an action: The Quran equates the murder of one innocent person with the murder of the whole of humanity."

OG

[hung-solo]

**** i wonder what would happen if they ever catch james taylor riding on a plane

[OGPackin]

**** i wonder what would happen if they ever catch james taylor riding on a plane

Im Rick James biatches...

OG

[sensei_jim]

Ok, I remember having his album in 79 (ish). Can't remember the song I liked.

Any help.

Could they detain Brittany Spears as a risk to American (male) security. We could put her in Abu Grave and make naked piles on her.

[OGPackin]

Ok, I remember having his album in 79 (ish). Can't remember the song I liked.

Any help.

Could they detain Brittany Spears as a risk to American (male) security. We could put her in Abu Grave and make naked piles on her.

What a greeat idea....Could we add to that pile...Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Lopez, Holly Berry and Kate Beckinsale....thxs!

OG

[hung-solo]

Ok, I remember having his album in 79 (ish). Can't remember the song I liked.

Any help.

Could they detain Brittany Spears as a risk to American (male) security. We could put her in Abu Grave and make naked piles on her.

moon shadow or some **** maybe? ****ing gay ass songs.. glad he decided to leave the country..but it still trips me out the we banned cat stevens. hahahhahaah if we could only ban barbar streisan(sp), elvis costello, and who is that faggot? umm? oh yeah justin timberlake.. what a sissy!

[OGPackin]

moon shadow or some **** maybe? ****ing gay ass songs.. glad he decided to leave the country..but it still trips me out the we banned cat stevens. hahahhahaah if we could only ban barbar streisan(sp), elvis costello, and who is that faggot? umm? oh yeah justin timberlake.. what a sissy!

OG

[Carlos_E]

moon shadow or some **** maybe? ****ing gay ass songs.. glad he decided to leave the country..but it still trips me out the we banned cat stevens. hahahhahaah if we could only ban barbar streisan(sp), elvis costello, and who is that faggot? umm? oh yeah justin timberlake.. what a sissy!

Spell check is your friend!

[hung-solo]

Spell check is your friend!

**** you carlos! we dont have that high priced gadgets in n.c.!

[Slick Arrado]

OK, so he's barred from entering the country? And Maine is where they diverted the plane to? Anyone else notice the irony? :spudniklu

[Pale Horse]

I say good riddance he doesn't belong here anyway. Before his last trip here he hadn't been here for many many years. Let him raise money in some other country.

[hung-solo]

OK, so he's barred from entering the country? And Maine is where they diverted the plane to? Anyone else notice the irony? :spudniklu

i totally understand.............who cares about maine??

[hung-solo]

I say good riddance he doesn't belong here anyway. Before his last trip here he hadn't been here for many many years. Let him raise money in some other country.

good to hear from you vic! where have you been?

[Pale Horse]

Jumpin around here and there. Had hernia surgery last fri so I been layin low.

[hung-solo]

Jumpin around here and there. Had hernia surgery last fri so I been layin low.

oooh! that sux hope you feel better bro! quit straining so **** much man hahaha

[Matto20]

If only they would provide some evidence or reasoning behind denying him entry into the country... sounds as if the whole thing is pretty ridiculous until they do.

Perhaps we should start denying all non-Christians entry into the U.S.

Hell, lets just make Christianity the National Religion and all those people in the U.S. who don't believe in our Lord Jesus Christ get deported. That way we can all be safe!

Makes perfect sense to me.

[Pale Horse]

Me too thanks Matto!

[hung-solo]

If only they would provide some evidence or reasoning behind denying him entry into the country... sounds as if the whole thing is pretty ridiculous until they do.

Perhaps we should start denying all non-Christians entry into the U.S.

Hell, lets just make Christianity the National Religion and all those people in the U.S. who don't believe in our Lord Jesus Christ get deported. That way we can all be safe!

Makes perfect sense to me.

what about athiests??

[Pale Horse]

They don't count so they can come in!

[Matto20]

Get rid of them too. We want to be as narrow-minded as possible.

Let the eagle SOAR!!!

USA!! USA!! USA!!

[Pale Horse]

Let's start with Matto he can be the poster child for the opressed!

[Matto20]

Let's start with Matto he can be the poster child for the opressed!

Crucify me and become my disciples!!

I am your shepherd of spritual enlightenment...