NEWS: Cat Stevens Refused Entry Into US

An aircraft flying from London to Washington was diverted to Bangor International Airport after US authorities discovered that former pop singer Cat Stevens was on board.
After converting to Islam in 1977 he changed his name to Yusef Islam and gave up recording and performing. More recently he has recorded an Islamic album and has been a driving force in the establishment of a Muslim school in London.
On landing in Maine he was questioned and informed he would have to leave the US.



Diverting an aircraft because it is carrying Cat Stevens smacks of a knee jerk reaction.
But inquiries should be made as to how United Airlines staff let a passenger board an international flight even though he was on a US watch list.

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[edit on 22-9-2004 by John bull 1]

Catching a potential terrorist mid flight is a little late--no? Isn't the point of watch lists so that they don't get on the plane and fly them into things or blow them up?

Not that I believe that Cat Stevens is going to blow a plane up. He is accused of having links to terrorist organizations (there is an interesting essay on his alledged terrorist links here, although he vehemently denies having terrorist ties on his own website.

What possible reason would Cat Stevens have to be on a watch list? He sang Peace Train for crying out loud!

I think they're just doing this simply because he converted to islam and is embracing that religion. I wouldn't be surprised if the US Gov started tossing muslims into camps.

Sickening.

This is rediculous, I just think many people couldn't handle the fact that he converted, disappeared and could never be happier. That kind of behaviour is not a good advertisment for the way the US government want people to live their lives.

People thought it was weird but the guy has never been happier so what's the problem? Just don't go against the grain...

I don't know how much truth is in his ties to terrorism, but I don't think someone as high profile as him is going to have an easy time doing some sneaky terrorist activities...

[edit on 22-9-2004 by John Nada]

Cat Stevens is not the only person to have converted to Islam:
Michael Jackson - the "King of Pop," one of the century's most popular entertainers, formally joined the Nation of Islam on 17 Dec. 2003

Malcom X - early leader of American "Black Muslim"/Nation of Islam movement; later a convert to Sunni Islam
Art Blakey - American Jazz musician

Muhammad Ali - boxer

Matthew Saad Muhammad - world champion boxer (formerly Matt Franklin)

Dwight Muhammad Qawi - world champion boxer (formerly Dwight Braxton)

Eddie Mustapha Muhammad - world champion lightweight boxer (formerly Eddie Gregory)

Hamdan Chris Eubank - boxer (super middleweight boxing champion)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - basketball player

Queen Noor - American-born queen of Jordan during reign of the late King Hussein I

Maryam Jameelah - Jewish American essayist and poet. Formerly Margaret Marcus.

Daniel Moore - Anglo-American poet

Muhammad Marmaduke (William) Pickthall - author and Quran translator

Michael Wolfe - author, journalist (The Hadj: An American's Pilgrimage to Mecca; One Thousand Roads to Mecca: Ten Centuries of Travelers Writing About the Muslim Pilgrimage; ABC Nightline documentary "An American in Mecca")

Aminah Assilmi - Denver area broadcast journalist; now director of the International Union of Muslim Women (former Baptist)

Jemima Goldsmith - daughter of British billionaire Sir James, who married Imran Khan. Changed name to Haiqa Khan.

Reckon these celebs will having a problem with flying in the future too?

Originally posted by Garon
What possible reason would Cat Stevens have to be on a watch list? He sang Peace Train for crying out loud!

I think they're just doing this simply because he converted to islam and is embracing that religion. I wouldn't be surprised if the US Gov started tossing muslims into camps.

Sickening.

Knowing how the current US administration works, I would suspect that its the song "Peace Train" rather than his religious affiliations that got him on the list.

But its like they keep saying..."if you don't do anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about."


There is no friend anywhere - Lao Tse

High profile??


Nobody cares what he is and nobody stopped him just because he's a muslim convert. The US doesn't care if he's happy, sad or dead. His name was on the list for whatever reason (just like Ted Kennedy's) and he was pulled off. It's not a big conspiracy or a racist or religious persecution. It's a guy on a list who SHOULD HAVE BEEN STOPPED ON THE GROUND.

Forget that it's Cat Stevens. He was on the list and got on the plane anyway. That's the big problem!

just cos he is a celeb, that doesn't make him a bad person..

yeah right!
People are famous for who they are, but do we know what they get up to? off the top of your head.. (without Google) can anybody truthfully say they know Cat Stevens' limitations, political standpoint etc..

check out the other celeb crims about, can we truly say "yep, I knew it when I first saw them on TV... thats a criminal if ever I saw one.."



[edit on 22/9/04 by Klepto]

Originally posted by torque
High profile??

You know who he is don't you?
There's not many people who don't, he was just as much in the public eye for his change in his religious beliefs as he was for his music. Just because they are no longer high profile does not mean the status still applies to him (there is obviously alot of interest in him as you can see...)

haha! Those mugshots are great, James Brown has got to be the winner, I'd love to know what he's on there.
As for Keanu, he looks like he's getting his high school year book photo taken.

I guess if I made some of the inflammatory public remarks he's made in the past, and ran an Islamic charity, I'd likely be on a watch list too...and rightfully so...

He's probably fine, but there are some things that would raise red flags...

What's really sad is that this was found AFTER the plane had already taken off. What should have happened, was that he should have been pulled aside, fully searched, questioned, and then if all ok, put in First Class on the next available flight (if not already so), given some free miles, etc.

[edit on 22-9-2004 by Gazrok]

I think that if he hadn't re-released 'Peace Train' recently he wouldn't be having these problems. Maybe if he had re-written it to be 'War Train' with some line about kicking Saddam's ass, we would have let him right in.

Our government claims that it does not make efforts to silence dissidents. Well, maybe not overt ones at least!

ex-Cat Stevens advocates the death of Rushdie using Islamic law to justify it.

99% of moslems advocate the death of Rushdie using Islamic law to justify it.

ex-Cat Stevens is not allowed to enter the US.

Conclusion : 99% of moslems willing to enter the US are not allowed to.

Oops ...

Well Mr Islam (Cat Stevens) has spoken today of his "shock" at being detained and returned to the UK. UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw was also perplexed by this action and told US Secretary of State Colin Powell that the action "should not have been taken"



[edit on 23-9-2004 by John Nada]