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 ...
And Jim Croce is still dead!!!
Or put up some Johnny Cash or Eddie Money. (Geez, I know we can both do better than this!!)
This is a duplicate.
BTW, the FBI really want to see England Dan and John Ford Cooly tonight.
Harry Chapin still alive, despite Tora Bora.
He's just a living legacy to the leader of the band.
I agree. We all oughta go now to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's National Targeting Center and Wilson Pickett!
Yes, but it has better comments than the original.
I believe that Al Stewart just said it was the 'year of the cat'!!!
We've moved into dangerous waters here. Somewhere, Sammy Johns is reading this thread and waiting for his name to be thrown in.
Moonshadow, moon god... hmmmmmm.
Have you heard his latest work?
I packed my bags and made it straight to end gate 22...
Better Al Stewart than Martha Stewart. Time passages bump to you.
Kerry's bracelet reads: WWJFKD?
I think Islam was fine until he changed the first name to Radical.
Last seen accosting a high school sweetheart on New Years Eve...
gee the NEW system worked. Bet the MSM would never state that.
When they catch him, will they sing 'the Cat's in the Cradle'
Eric Carmen has just been arrested for trying to ignite his shoes...
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