urbanasphalt

September 22, 2004

Jet Is Diverted to Detain Man in Security Case

By MATTHEW L. WALD

WASHINGTON, Sept. 21 - The Department of Homeland Security ordered a
United Airlines jet flying from London to Washington rerouted to
Bangor, Me., on Tuesday afternoon so it could intercept a passenger,
Yusuf Islam, the musician formerly known as Cat Stevens, two
government officials said.

Mr. Islam was "denied entry into the United States," said an official,
and was in the custody of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. The
plan on Tuesday evening was to deport Mr. Islam, who is a British
subject, the officials said.

The officials, both of whom said they could not be named because this
was a security issue, said Mr. Islam was a financial supporter of
groups believed to be linked to terrorism. Mr. Islam's Web site lists
him as a supporter of many charities.

Since converting to Islam in 1977 and renouncing his former identity
as a pop singer who sold 25 million albums, Mr. Islam has been quoted
making contradictory statements about various issues in the Muslim
world.

At one point he appeared to support the death sentence pronounced by
Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Iranian leader, in 1989, against the
author Salman Rushdie for his novel "The Satanic Verses." Though he
said at another point that he did not support the ayatollah's edict,
his anti-Rushdie comment drew wide criticism.

After the interception of Mr. Islam on Tuesday, one of the government
officials said, "He is not on a watch list for making verbal threats."

Mr. Islam was deported from Israel in July 2000 because he was
believed to be a supporter of Hamas, the terrorist group.

On Tuesday Mr. Islam was on a Boeing 747-400 with 249 passengers
aboard. After it was diverted, the plane was kept on the ground for
more than three hours.

-----------------

Copyright 2004 The New York Times Company

juan de dios

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feel sorry for the people who had to wait. couldn t they do it another way?>September 22, 2004>>Jet Is Diverted to Detain Man in Security Case>>By MATTHEW L. WALD> >WASHINGTON, Sept. 21 - The Department of Homeland Security ordered a>United Airlines jet flying from London to Washington rerouted to>Bangor, Me., on Tuesday afternoon so it could intercept a passenger,>Yusuf Islam, the musician formerly known as Cat Stevens, two>government officials said.>>Mr. Islam was "denied entry into the United States," said an official,>and was in the custody of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. The>plan on Tuesday evening was to deport Mr. Islam, who is a British>subject, the officials said.>>The officials, both of whom said they could not be named because this>was a security issue, said Mr. Islam was a financial supporter of>groups believed to be linked to terrorism. Mr. Islam's Web site lists>him as a supporter of many charities.>>Since converting to Islam in 1977 and renouncing his former identity>as a pop singer who sold 25 million albums, Mr. Islam has been quoted>making contradictory statements about various issues in the Muslim>world.>>At one point he appeared to support the death sentence pronounced by>Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Iranian leader, in 1989, against the>author Salman Rushdie for his novel "The Satanic Verses." Though he>said at another point that he did not support the ayatollah's edict,>his anti-Rushdie comment drew wide criticism.>>After the interception of Mr. Islam on Tuesday, one of the government>officials said, "He is not on a watch list for making verbal threats.">>Mr. Islam was deported from Israel in July 2000 because he was>believed to be a supporter of Hamas, the terrorist group.>>On Tuesday Mr. Islam was on a Boeing 747-400 with 249 passengers>aboard. After it was diverted, the plane was kept on the ground for>more than three hours.>>----------------->>Copyright 2004 The New York Times Company>.>

rick n

On 22 Sep 2004 01:17:37 -0700, urbanasphalt@yahoo.com (MAGNUSBUMSKI)

<SNIP>
I used to really enjoy Cat Stevens, even went to one of his concerts.
But I don't understand how someone who writes songs like he does, can
even seem to support terrorists. I would have thought that he would
have vehemently denied any support for terror groups. I have not
listened to any of his music, or owned any of his albums since he went
wierd, and I can't remember the last time I heard of one of his songs
being played on a radio station in the Toronto area.

Rick Neglia
Carpe Diem

miss elaine eos

Huh?!

If someone's out there serving & protecting me, and I'm paying his
salary, I'd like to know his @#$% name!

What happens if he gets deported from everywhere? Do we rocket him into
space?

_Terminal_, all over again...

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dhannes

So, he really WAS being followed by a Moonshadow....

D

miss elaine eos

<conspiracy theory> Thank Clear-channel.
</conspiracy theory>

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moods

He should stick to travelling by peace train.

Moods

james

Stevens wigged out quite a few years back. Said some pretty dangerous
things and then left the country. There is probably an old news
article somewhere on the net if yer interested. I agree though, I
don't see how he could have gone from writing songs as he did, to what
he is today. Pretty drastic change. :-(

-James

Remove the _CATION to send email

james

I wonder how come he wasn't travelling with a hard headed woman?

-James

Remove the _CATION to send email

alex w.

I don't know he guy personally, and I don't particularly
like his music, but he sounds to me like a typical convert.
Kinda like atheists who find God and suddenly turn into Tony
Miller...
:-)