Posted on 09/21/2004 7:05:56 PM PDT by blogblogginaway
WASHINGTON - A plane bound for Washington from London was diverted to Maine on Tuesday after passenger Yusuf Islam — formerly known as pop singer Cat Stevens (news) — showed up on a U.S. watch list, federal officials said.
United Airlines Flight 919 had already taken off from London en route to Dulles International Airport when the match was made between the passenger and 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.
Federal officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, identified the individual as Islam.
One official said Islam, 56, was identified by the Advanced Passenger Information System, which requires airlines to send passenger information to U.S. Customs and Border Protection's National Targeting Center. TSA was then contacted and requested that the plane land at the nearest airport, the official said.
"He was interviewed and denied admission to the United States on national security grounds," said Homeland Security spokesman Dennis Murphy. He said the man would be put on the first available flight out of the country Wednesday.
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).
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Unlike Helen Reddy, Bette Midler did not take herself too seriously. So she always gets points for that. I think I'm going to have to bail out of the music thread -- need to change the eight track and tuck in the pet rock. Nice talking to all of you. And to think it started with Cat Stevens getting thrown off of a plane.
PaMom
Good job keeping that hateful bum out of the U.S.!
Oh geez, I almost pulled myself out of here -- and now Oliver -- remember he died about four or five years ago. An even more obscure one-name artist from that time -- Jefferson "Take Me In Your Arms." (Come on and take me in your arms and let me kiss you, let me know how much I'm gonna miss you blah blah blah.) How about Neon Philharmonic "Morning Girl." Nobody ever plays that anymore.
Hello,
We have now gone right past mean into evil...
Glad to be here, MOgirl
Remember Seales & Crofts? Those guys were Baha'i. I remember how amazed I was when they appeared on ABC's "In Concert" in about 1972 (around the peak of their popularity) and played a new song called "Unborn Child," which was a song against abortion. I have to say, those guys had some balls. How many pop singers would do that today?
I thought he was a Buddist before he was a Muslim.
Man, that picture looks like Chevy Chase dressed up as Osama.
Want to know something really interesting, but collateral to this 'bad music of the 70s' thread? Jim Quinn (of Quinn and Rose, Warroom fame) USED TO PLAY THIS CRAP back when he was a DJ on KQV-AM in Pittsburgh. And I bet he will make some mention of the whole Cat Stevens 'event' but here we are blogging away one step ahead of him! Huh!
I agree...just haven't kept up with him since conversion.
Thank's
John
Okay, had to drift back in here before turning in. Yep, that song pretty much ended their careers, too. Places started to refuse to book them. It did take guts.
Okay, one for the road -- Ventura Highway, that would be. Thanks cat.
Maybe we should send him this thread. I'm Manilowed out for tonight. One quick listen to "Ride Captain Ride" and I'm turning in. Thanks, PAMom.
"Anyone know why Cat is on the watch list? Converting to Islam is not enough, of course, but getting involved in seditious or ugly activity is. What has Cat done to deserve this disgrace?"
Probably helping to fund or support some organizations that enable terrorists.
Get on that mystery ship and ride off to dreamland, its been fun...thanks, Speedy.
(From "Peace Train" to "Kill The Infidel") - Onward Muslim Soldiers ping - (old timers will understand this one perhaps more than younger people will)
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Yes --- that's when it was obvious he was truly a Muslim --- his mind is totally gone, he is following and saying and thinking whatever they tell him. He has no ability to reason or think for himself --- just a typical Muslim who will carry out any kind of orders.
As bad as peaceniks are --- he was better when he was a peacenik --- he's nothing but a promoter of murder and slaughter now --- he's far from his peacenik days.
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