Cat Stevens gets the boot! WASHINGTON (Sept. 22) - 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. "He was interviewed and denied admission to the United States on national security grounds." -Dennis Murphy, Homeland Security Department spokesman 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.
Gosh! They'll be coming for my "Tea for the Tillerman' album next......!! It's pretty scratchy, I don't use it much...... Ride the Peace Train, baby! LOL!
Reading the article, he actually had denounced both the 9/11 attacks and the radical fringe jihadists on his website......but they suspect monetary support, apparently. Remembe,r they had Teddy Kennedy as a no fly name as well, maybe they can share a charter flight and talk about 'old times'.... I recently spoke with a friend and despite his Hispanic surname, his recent travels to Turkey to visit realtives there have placed him on the "Hold" list on all air travel. Of course his outspoken personal nature would not endear him to the airport security staff, I'm sure.. It's just a damn shame they were not doing such a fine job on that sleepy headed September morning, three years ago.... *big sigh*
What I've heard is that he contributes money to groups that either support or condone terrorism. Don't know if it's true or not, just what I heard. Really a shame if it is true, because he did seem to be a very genuine pacifist. Love his music. Dom
Back at the hight of his career he converted to Islam and gave away a fortune from his recordings and pretty much all the money he ever made. He has since become an elder in his faith. from all reports a genuinely nice peaceful man. Unfortunately he gave some of that money to "Suspected" supporters of terrorism (like many of these things being suspected is all that matters) After 9-11 he was interviewed by the BBC and he predicted a lot of the anti muslim things that are easily seen in the Pol threads on the same topic. Ah but to really be free of all this hate....
I agree, if he was a terrorist we would have heard something by now from him. 'best of' is good...........
Do you guy see what this is becoming? Remember the 50s and 60 when people were crazed about Communists? When they were looking at each other thinking Communist? When someone said something that was a little critical of the government and they were Commies? When people were not allowed to enter the country because they were suspected communists? When the US Government protected itself from communism? Communits strike forces? Strike 50s and 60s and enter 2004 and strike Comunists and enter Terrorists. Sounds familar now? Great country where we send people away that have done nothing wrong but are "suspected" to have done something wrong. Innocent until proven guilty! Oh wait, we made away with our legal system and justice to give more power to Homeland Security. We have been stripped of our rights and nobody is protesting. I am starting to see when militias are necessary.
Martin, See the other post on him http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32281&highlight=cat+stevens It sounds like he's been accused of giving money to Hamas, and stated that Salman Rushdie should be killed. Not exactly Peace Train, if these allegations are true.
Great I feel much safer now, I was really worried that Cat Stevens was going to destroy the USA. The world is a much safer place. I am sure Kim Il Jung & Osama are way below the Cat in terms of threat they pose to the USA Sheesh
I don't think he was a threat. However, it could be taken as a stance by the US govt that if you support terrorism in any way, you are not welcome here.
