The Former Cat Stevens Gets Plane Diverted

By LESLIE MILLER, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - A London-to-Washington flight was diverted to Maine on Tuesday when it was discovered passenger Yusuf Islam — formerly known as singer Cat Stevens — was on a government watch list and barred from entering the country, federal officials said.

United Airlines Flight 919 was en route to Dulles International Airport when the match was made 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.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=5&u=/ap/20040922/ap_on_re_us/plane_diverted



"Oh, baby, baby, it's a wild world"......

The government of my country is clinically insane.

What a recall hearing many, many years ago was that he had slid into a very extreme version of the islamic beliefs. I heard about this diversion, but wasn't aware it was the former Cat Stevens.

I don't recall any real details, and my information sources at the time were probably quiet right wing, so I'd be interested in other info.

The mode of Islam he espouses is 100% peaceful...maybe that's what makes it extreme?

my husband was quite furious though about the diversion etc.

I can't type what he said LOL but I did get from him that Cat Stevens is a very peace loving man.

Cat had to wander into Islam. State Dept says Cat Stevens contributed money to terrorist groups. Whether he did or did not, I still think he's nuts. If he did, then I don't want him here. He had some good songs.

"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)."

I guess he was sent back because he opposed the war. Sounds like a good reason to me. NOT!

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mvd
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