So Much for the "Peace Train"

[dgolvach]

"Oh Baby..Baby..it's a wild world"

WASHINGTON (AP) - 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.

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, and 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 to promote a DVD of his 1976 MajiKat tour.

(AP) Yusuf Islam, formerly Cat Stevens addresses those gathered at a session on education at the annual...

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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 eventually 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.

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[WayneB]

When I was a kid, Cat Stevens was one of my favorite music artists. Some years ago, I wanted to upgrade my old albums to CDs but when I discovered that the residuals were going to fund radical Islamic organizations, I was convicted not to. Another interesting tidbit is that Cat hasn't picked up a guitar since his conversion 25 years ago.

[Guest kitkat]

I like some of Cat Stevens music also.

Did you know that Cat Stevens often makes monetary contributions to Hamas? He also agreed that the writer Rushdi should be killed because he wrote a book that criticized the Muslim faith. In other words, Stevens is a wacko radical. Good to know that our homeland security is so vigilant.

Kat

[other one]

I agree KitKat. I am impressed, and hope it continues. Now if we can just find a way to get some that are already here out, I'll feel a lot better.

[ted]

They are, Sam. Look at all of the supposed peaceful "mosque's" they are busting.

Can't catch all of the mice when they run, but they can catch a few.

t.

[georgesbluegirl]

Hmm that sounds a bit ignorant...

anyway, as Jon Stewart said, "Hurrah! We finally got the guy that...um...wrote 'Peace Train'...Well, the flight was tagged by two fighter jets and, naturally, a Moonshadow."

And also...if we're trying to enforce a no-fly list, wouldn't it be a good idea to stop the people on it at the gate? Not that, you know, mid-air isn't a great place to start.

[ted]

Hmm that sounds a bit ignorant...

And also...if we're trying to enforce a no-fly list, wouldn't it be a good idea to stop the people on it at the gate? Not that, you know, mid-air isn't a great place to start.

Yes, it would be better if he was stopped before he got on the plane, but intel is hard business, sometimes.

t.

[georgesbluegirl]

I was referring to the part about "peace loving mosques" somebody said before sort of sarcastically. People don't seem to be able to understand that there are plenty of normal, everyday Muslims who don't hate Western society.

And about the last bit, that was just me being saucy.

[ted]

I was referring to the part about "peace loving mosques" somebody said before sort of sarcastically. People don't seem to be able to understand that there are plenty of normal, everyday Muslims who don't hate Western society.

And about the last bit, that was just me being saucy.

It was me, but it wasn't sarcasm, it was more "highlighting"

Many of these places and the people running them, are not what they appear to be.

I do, of course, understand that there are literally thousands of the followers of muhammad that are peaceful and wish us no ill-will. They are here for the same reasons others are; it's simply the best country in the world and provides for the greatest opportunity of individual freedom.

But, sadly, there are some that are here for other motives. It's hard to weed them out, and there will be mistakes made.

We need to pray for those that are trying to expose the sickness, and for those that are trying to live here in peace.

And for their Salvation.

t.

[georgesbluegirl]

Did you know that Cat Stevens often makes monetary contributions to Hamas? He also agreed that the writer Rushdi should be killed because he wrote a book that criticized the Muslim faith. In other words, Stevens is a wacko radical. Good to know that our homeland security is so vigilant.

That (Hamas) was way long ago. He's since renounced his ties to any form of extremist Islam and now supports schools with his money instead. He hasn't been anything near a "radical" for a while now.

And he's due to release a greatest hits thing soon and I think the profits go to some international aid organization...but that might just be word of mouth, so don't quote me on that.