God bless America. :rolleyes:

The Former Cat Stevens Gets Plane Diverted

By Leslie Miller
The Associated Press

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 — 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.

He abandoned his music career in the late 1970s and changed his name after being persuaded by orthodox Muslim teachers that his lifestyle was forbidden by Islamic law. He later became a teacher and an advocate for his religion, founding a Muslim school in London in 1983.

Islam recently condemned the school seizure by militants in Beslan, Russia, earlier this month that left more than 300 dead, nearly half of them children.

In a statement on his Web site (http://www.yusufislam.org.uk/), he wrote, "Crimes against innocent bystanders taken hostage in any circumstance have no foundation whatsoever in the life of Islam and the model example of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him."

AKA, thanks for the post!

:wave:

I just read the story on Yahoo, thought that was kind of weird. Isn't he Norah Jones' father?

Personally, I commend U.S. homeland security on their fine job
protecting this country. Cat Stevens is not a U.S. citizen, so he
does not have all the same rights as a U.S. citizen. Now if it were
Casey Kasem, that would be another story-he is a U.S. citizen.

Go Bush! Lets keep fighting this war on terrorism! It is a war
we cannot afford to lose!

How soon do you think it will be before this thread is closed?

Originally posted by webwarrior762004
Personally, I commend U.S. homeland security on their fine job
protecting this country. Cat Stevens is not a U.S. citizen, so he
does not have all the same rights as a U.S. citizen. Now if it were
Casey Kasem, that would be another story-he is a U.S. citizen.

Go Bush! Lets keep fighting this war on terrorism! It is a war
we cannot afford to lose!

Yeah. The guy who wrote "Peace Train" is a serious security risk.

Originally posted by vashti1999
I just read the story on Yahoo, thought that was kind of weird. Isn't he Norah Jones' father?

No. That's Ravi Shankar.

Originally posted by vashti1999
I just read the story on Yahoo, thought that was kind of weird. Isn't he Norah Jones' father?
No, Norah Jones' father is sitarist Ravi Shankar.

Thank God America has been saved from the evil Cat Stevens.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00004S51Y.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

[Hides]

Originally posted by webwarrior762004

Go Bush!

My thoughts exactly.

Originally posted by AKA
No. That's Ravi Shankar.

I was close, no? :o

Peace Train
(Cat Stevens)

Now I've been happy lately, thinking about the good things to come
And I believe it could be, something good has begun

Oh I've been smiling lately, dreaming about the world as one
And I believe it could be, some day it's going to come

Cause out on the edge of darkness, there rides a peace train
Oh peace train take this country, come take me home again

Now I've been smiling lately, thinking about the good things to come
And I believe it could be, something good has begun

Oh peace train sounding louder
Glide on the peace train
Come on now peace train
Yes, peace train holy roller

Everyone jump upon the peace train
Come on now peace train

Get your bags together, go bring your good friends too
Cause it's getting nearer, it soon will be with you

Now come and join the living, it's not so far from you
And it's getting nearer, soon it will all be true

Now I've been crying lately, thinking about the world as it is
Why must we go on hating, why can't we live in bliss

Cause out on the edge of darkness, there rides a peace train
Oh peace train take this country, come take me home again

Originally posted by vashti1999
I was close, no? :o

And how.

Originally posted by vashti1999
My thoughts exactly. Yeah. Back to Crawford (http://whitehousewest.com/)! :D

Originally posted by webwarrior762004
Personally, I commend U.S. homeland security on their fine job
protecting this country. Cat Stevens is not a U.S. citizen, so he
does not have all the same rights as a U.S. citizen. Now if it were
Casey Kasem, that would be another story-he is a U.S. citizen.

Go Bush! Lets keep fighting this war on terrorism! It is a war
we cannot afford to lose!
Yeah!!!

Originally posted by Fleet
Yeah!!! Hey, I hate terrorism as much as the next guy; I just think they're going about the War On Terrorism all wrong.

I'll be interested in hearing an official explanation regarding how Yusuf Islam is a terror risk.

I feel a lock coming on.:eek: :rolleyes: :lol:

Originally posted by AKA
Yeah. Back to Crawford (http://whitehousewest.com/)! :D

That video is hilarious, Bush-hater or not. :lol:

Just thought I'd get that in before it gets closed.

Originally posted by sara
No, Norah Jones' father is sitarist Ravi Shankar. And whos he?

Originally posted by ¤I Love Clay Aiken¤
And whos he?


You can go to this site to find info. on him:

http://www.ravishankar.org/bio.html

Originally posted by ¤I Love Clay Aiken¤
And whos he?

He's a great sitar player from India. He taught George Harrison how to play.

Originally posted by AKA
He's a great sitar player from India. He taught George Harrison how to play. o0o ok thanks.

Originally posted by ¤I Love Clay Aiken¤
o0o ok thanks. 'Sallright! ;)

Originally posted by AKA
'Sallright! ;) :)

Ohh.. FYI I thought of you today. I was watching Jon Stewart on Ellen today ( :drool: ), and tomorrow Brian Wilson is gonna be on tomorrow.

Originally posted by ¤I Love Clay Aiken¤
:)

Ohh.. FYI I thought of you today. I was watching Jon Stewart on Ellen today ( :drool: ), and tomorrow Brian Wilson is gonna be on. I thought of you. Thanks. :)

Yeah, Brian's going to be performing the new/old version of "Good Vibrations" from Smile.

Originally posted by AKA
Thanks. :)

Yeah, Brian's going to be performing the new/old version of "Good Vibrations" from Smile. AHHH Good Vibrations. MY FAVORITE. Then again, I say that about all their songs.

Originally posted by ¤I Love Clay Aiken¤
AHHH Good Vibrations. MY FAVORITE. Then again, I say that about all their songs. You'll like it. The new version is really neat. It has different lyrics.

Originally posted by AKA
You'll like it. The new version is really neat. It has different lyrics. o0o0o awesome. Same tune and stuff, right? Ill def. be catching it tomorrow. I watched him way back when on Conan that time.

Originally posted by ¤I Love Clay Aiken¤
o0o0o awesome. Same tune and stuff, right?

Yep. Just different lyrics, most (if not all) of which were written before the original version.

Good Vibrations
(B. Wilson/V.D. Parks/T. Asher/M. Love)

I, I love the colorful clothes she wears
And she's already workin' on my brain
I, I only looked in her eyes
But I picked up something I just can't explain
And I'm pickin' up...

I'm pickin' up good vibrations
She's givin' me the excitations
I'm pickin' up good vibrations
(Ooh bop bop good vibrations bop bop)
She's givin' me the excitations
(Excitations bop bop)
Good good good good vibrations
(Bop bop)
She's givin' me the excitations
(Excitations bop bop)
Good good good good vibrations
(Bop bop)
She's givin' me the excitations
(Excitations)

I, I bet I know what she's like
And I can feel how right she'd be for me
It's weird how she comes in so strong
And I wonder what she's pickin' up from me
And I'm pickin' up...

I'm pickin' up good vibrations
She's givin' me the excitations
I'm pickin' up good vibrations
(Ooh bop bop good vibrations bop bop)
She's givin' me the excitations
(Excitations bop bop)
Good good good good vibrations
(Bop bop)
She's givin' me the excitations
(Excitations bop bop)
Good good good good vibrations
(Bop bop)
She's givin' me the excitations
(Excitations)

(Ahhhhhhh)
(Ah my my what elation)
I don't know where but she sends me there
(Ah my my what a sensation)
(Ah my my what elations)
(Ah my my what)

Gotta keep those lovin' good vibrations
A happenin' with her
Gotta keep those lovin' good vibrations
A happenin' with her
Gotta keep those lovin' good vibrations
A happenin' with her
Gotta keep those lovin' good vibrations
A happenin' with her

(Ahhhhhhh)

Good good good good vibrations
(Bop bop)
She's givin' me the excitations
(Excitations bop bop)
Good good good good vibrations

Na na na na na
Na na na
Na na na na na
Na na na
Do do do do do
Do do do
Do do do do do
Do do do

Originally posted by AKA
Yep. Just different lyrics, most (if not all) of which were written before the original version.

Good Vibrations
(B. Wilson/V.D. Parks/T. Asher/M. Love)

I, I love the colorful clothes she wears
And she's already workin' on my brain
I, I only looked in her eyes
But I picked up something I just can't explain
And I'm pickin' up...

I'm pickin' up good vibrations
She's givin' me the excitations
I'm pickin' up good vibrations
(Ooh bop bop good vibrations bop bop)
She's givin' me the excitations
(Excitations bop bop)
Good good good good vibrations
(Bop bop)
She's givin' me the excitations
(Excitations bop bop)
Good good good good vibrations
(Bop bop)
She's givin' me the excitations
(Excitations)

I, I bet I know what she's like
And I can feel how right she'd be for me
It's weird how she comes in so strong
And I wonder what she's pickin' up from me
And I'm pickin' up...

I'm pickin' up good vibrations
She's givin' me the excitations
I'm pickin' up good vibrations
(Ooh bop bop good vibrations bop bop)
She's givin' me the excitations
(Excitations bop bop)
Good good good good vibrations
(Bop bop)
She's givin' me the excitations
(Excitations bop bop)
Good good good good vibrations
(Bop bop)
She's givin' me the excitations
(Excitations)

(Ahhhhhhh)
(Ah my my what elation)
I don't know where but she sends me there
(Ah my my what a sensation)
(Ah my my what elations)
(Ah my my what)

Gotta keep those lovin' good vibrations
A happenin' with her
Gotta keep those lovin' good vibrations
A happenin' with her
Gotta keep those lovin' good vibrations
A happenin' with her
Gotta keep those lovin' good vibrations
A happenin' with her

(Ahhhhhhh)

Good good good good vibrations
(Bop bop)
She's givin' me the excitations
(Excitations bop bop)
Good good good good vibrations

Na na na na na
Na na na
Na na na na na
Na na na
Do do do do do
Do do do
Do do do do do
Do do do Awesome.

Im trying to remember what he sang on Conan. I *think* it was Heroes and Villians. Though it couldve been Sloop John B. Id love to see him in concert. I think he toured this summer unless Im thinking of last year.

Originally posted by ¤I Love Clay Aiken¤
Awesome.

Im trying to remember what he sang on Conan. I *think* it was Heroes and Villians. Though it couldve been Sloop John B. Id love to see him in concert. I think he toured this summer unless Im thinking of last year. Well, he toured Europe earlier this year (performing Smile in its entirety) and his American tour starts on September 30 in Minneapolis.

http://www.brianwilson.com/tour/index.html

The Smile album comes out next week, and I'll be first in line to buy it. I've been a fan of Smile since I first heard a bootleg of the '66/'67 recordings four years ago.

Warner has issued a really cool EPK (Electronic Press Kit) for Smile. Lots of really neat stuff in it.

http://www.warnerreprise.com/asx/brianwilson_smile-epk_450-v.asx

Anyway, what I'd really like to see is a Beach Boys reunion, sort of a one-shot deal. It definitely won't be the same without Carl, but it'd be cool to have Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston together on stage one last time. They could even include one-time members David Marks, Blondie Chaplin and Ricky Fataar.

I doubt it would ever happen, though. The boys aren't on good terms with each other (with the exception of Bruce, who I really like, and Mike, who I'm not a big fan of).

Originally posted by AKA
Well, he toured Europe earlier this year (performing Smile in its entirety) and his American tour starts on September 30 in Minneapolis.

http://www.brianwilson.com/tour/index.html

The Smile album comes out next week, and I'll be first in line to buy it. I've been a fan of Smile since I first heard a bootleg of the '66/'67 recordings four years ago.

Warner has issued a really cool EPK (Electronic Press Kit) for Smile. Lots of really neat stuff in it.

http://www.warnerreprise.com/asx/brianwilson_smile-epk_450-v.asx

Anyway, what I'd really like to see is a Beach Boys reunion, sort of a one-shot deal. It definitely won't be the same without Carl, but it'd be cool to have Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston together on stage one last time. They could even include one-time members David Marks, Blondie Chaplin and Ricky Fataar.

I doubt it would ever happen, though. The boys aren't on good terms with each other (with the exception of Bruce, who I really like, and Mike, who I'm not a big fan of). Cool, thanks. Oh wow.. hes going to the Orpheum Theatre in Boston. I went there last March to see Jon Stewart, who was hilarious. That place is really really small and its a nice place.

Oh man, Id love a Beach Boys Reunion. Me and my Dad would be all over that in a heartbeat.

I'm unlocking this thread. Please guys....
(Graphic courtesy of AKA, Sitcom Online's resident computer geek. j/k Brad.)

Originally posted by Janice
I'm unlocking this thread. Please guys....
(Graphic courtesy of AKA, Sitcom Online's resident computer geek. j/k Brad.) I appreciate it, Janice, but honestly, I don't see anyone being able to post in this thread without saying anything political.

Originally posted by AKA
I appreciate it, Janice, but honestly, I don't see anyone being able to post in this thread without saying anything political.

So true.:D

All I have to say to Cat(or whatever his name is now) is
"You Play, you pay!";)

I haven't followed this story closely enough to give an informed opinion. I will say that I used to love his music. His songs, Father and Son, Morning Has Broken, Wild World, Peace Train...he was a hit machine.

Originally posted by AKA
I appreciate it, Janice, but honestly, I don't see anyone being able to post in this thread without saying anything political.
My mistake. I didn't realize that.

Originally posted by Janice
I haven't followed this story closely enough to give an informed opinion. I will say that I used to love his music. His songs, Father and Son, Morning Has Broken, Wild World, Peace Train...he was a hit machine. You're right, he was great.

I just don't see how he can have any connection to terrorism, as the powers that be claim. I hope he releases a statement on this incident as soon as possible.

U.S. Says Cat Stevens May Have Terror Ties

By Leslie Miller
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON - The singer formerly known as Cat Stevens is forbidden from flying into the United States because of his alleged association with possible terrorists, U.S. officials said Wednesday in explaining why a London-to-Washington flight carrying the peace activist was diverted.

The claim was disputed by the brother of the American-born singer, who changed his name to Yusuf Islam more than 25 years ago and now lives in London.

David Gordon said his brother has condemned terrorist acts and donates money to terrorism victims. "He just wants to be an ambassador for peace," said Gordon, who lives in Princeton, N.J., and serves as Islam's business manager.

United Airlines Flight 919 was en route to Dulles International Airport on Tuesday when U.S. officials reviewing the passenger list discovered Islam was aboard. The aircraft was diverted to Maine's Bangor International Airport, where federal agents met the plane and interviewed Islam.

He was placed on a plane back to London on Wednesday. Gordon said Islam's 21-year-old daughter, Maymanah, was allowed to stay in the country.

Meantime, there was confusion about how someone on the government's "no-fly list" was allowed to board a plane. Airline personnel are supposed to check passengers' names against people on the list. Anyone who matches is to be kept off flights.

United spokesman Jeff Green said the airline followed procedures in checking Islam's name, and it wasn't on the list.

"The information did not match," Green said.

Green and Homeland Security Department spokesman Dennis Murphy said the airline and the government are working together to figure out what happened. It's possible Islam's name was spelled differently on the list, Homeland Security officials conceded.

Under rules imposed following the Sept. 11 attacks, once an international flight is bound for the United States, passenger information is forwarded to U.S. officials. The amount of data varies, but can include name, address, flight details, seat location, form of payment and meal preference.

U.S. authorities use the information to run a more thorough check against government watch lists. That's when authorities discovered that Islam was on the plane.

Unlike airline workers, law enforcement officers are trained to look for names that sound like those on the watch list or are spelled differently than the ones on the watch list, Homeland Security spokesman Garrison Courtney said.

The Transportation Security Administration, which is part of the Homeland Security Department, announced plans Tuesday to take over the task of checking names against watch lists before passengers get on planes. The agency is developing a computerized system that will compare passenger data with the watch lists for domestic flights only.

U.S. authorities provided few details about Islam's alleged connection to terrorism.

Homeland Security spokesman Brian Doyle would only say that the intelligence community has recently obtained information that "further heightens concern" about Islam.

"Yusuf Islam has been placed on the watch lists because of activities that could potentially be related to terrorism," Doyle said. "It's a serious matter."

A second government official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said U.S. authorities think donations from Islam may have ended up helping to fund blind sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman, convicted for a plot to bomb New York City landmarks, and Hamas, a Palestinian militant group considered a terrorist organization by the United States.

In July 2000, Islam was deported hours after arriving in Jerusalem. A local paper reported then that the government claimed he had delivered tens of thousands of dollars to Hamas during a visit in 1988. Islam denied ever knowingly supporting Islamic terrorists.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations at a news conference Wednesday said the deportation "sends a message to the Islamic world that even those who seek peace and condemn terror are not fit to enter the United States."

Islam, 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 hit "Peace Train," to express his opposition to the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

He abandoned his music career in the late 1970s and changed his name after being persuaded by orthodox Muslim teachers that his lifestyle was forbidden by Islamic law.