Posted on 09/22/2004 10:30:37 AM PDT by LouAvul
LONDON - America's decision to bar the singer once known as Cat Stevens from the country for security reasons will damage U.S. ties with Muslims, his supporters said Wednesday.
The musician-turned-peace activist, now named Yusuf Islam, is a well-respected member of Britain's Muslim community, Muslim organizations say, expressing bafflement at the U.S. contention that he is a threat to American security.
"It is a slap in the face of sanity," said Mohammad Abdul Bari, deputy general secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain.
"If prominent, well-known personalities are treated like this, then how can there be bridge building?" he asked.
A London-to-Washington flight was diverted to Maine on Tuesday when authorities realized Islam, 56, was on a government watch list and barred from entering the United States.
The U.S. Homeland Security Department said he was denied entry to America and would be put on a flight out Wednesday.
"He is a very moderate man," Bari said. "We have absolutely no idea why this has happened. He is very well respected in the Muslim community."
American officials had no details about why Islam might be considered a risk to the United States. He visited New York in May for a charity event and to promote a DVD of his 1976 MajiKat tour.
But Islam has sometimes been at the center of controversy.
In 1989, he voiced support for Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's execution order on "Satanic Verses" author Salman Rushdie, saying "if someone defames the prophet, then he must die." Islam later denied he wanted to see Rushdie killed.
In 2000, he was denied entry into Israel, reportedly because the government believed he delivered tens of thousands of dollars to the militant Islamic group Hamas during a 1988 visit.
(Excerpt) Read more at start.earthlink.net ...
wahwahwah!
What fen ties?
Oh baby baby it's a wild world.
So, what did 9/11 do to our ties with the Muslims?
Deport his sorry a**.
We don't want to build bridges.
We want to blow one up - with you all standing mid-span.
Great news, the more damage the better. Maybe they'll all move out.
You donate money to people who want to kill and maim innocent men women and children.
After 9-11, the only tie THIS American wants with Muslims is a noose around their murderous necks.
Heaven forbid. We cherish our ties with our muslim brethern, but they keep chopping off our heads.
May Joe Islam be the first of many!
They're already kidnapping and beheading Americans. Don't they think that is more damaging? Eff 'em.
OK, but what's the down side?
Well, he may be what passes for "moderate" in the Muslim community, but he does buy into the homicidal "kill for Allah" mentality of that particular sect. He had no problem with the idea of the Iranian mullahs putting out a worldwide religious hit contract on Salman Rushdie, and to me, that isn't the mindset of a "moderate".
Show me a group of Muslims who don't think it's perfectly OK to kill "infidels", Mr. Bari. If you can find such a rare thing, that is...
Note to muslims, we don't trust you. At all.
Feel free to use the door and leave.
Time travel????
Posted Passenger Cat Stevens to Be Deported by you as well.
"Mourning has Broken"
His music sucked too!
What ties? I have yet to see Muslims rise up in anger over the terrorists.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.