The Former Cat Stevens Gets Plane Diverted - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

AKA · 09-21-2004, 10:21 PM

God bless America.

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, 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."

Jrnygrl · 09-21-2004, 10:32 PM

AKA, thanks for the post!

vashti1999 · 09-21-2004, 10:38 PM

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

Lee · 09-21-2004, 10:43 PM

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!

Lee · 09-21-2004, 10:44 PM

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

AKA · 09-21-2004, 10:46 PM

Quote:

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.

Quote:

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.

sara · 09-21-2004, 10:47 PM

Quote:

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.

AKA · 09-21-2004, 10:50 PM

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

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

[Hides]

vashti1999 · 09-21-2004, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by webwarrior762004

Go Bush!

My thoughts exactly.

vashti1999 · 09-21-2004, 10:54 PM

Quote:

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

I was close, no?

AKA · 09-21-2004, 10:55 PM

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

AKA · 09-21-2004, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by vashti1999
I was close, no?

And how.

AKA · 09-21-2004, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by vashti1999
My thoughts exactly.

Yeah. Back to Crawford!

Fleet · 09-21-2004, 10:58 PM

Quote:

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!!!

AKA · 09-21-2004, 11:00 PM

Quote:

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.

09-21-2004, 10:21 PM	#1
AKA Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 17, 2001 Posts: 15,746	The Former Cat Stevens Gets Plane Diverted God bless America. 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, 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."

09-21-2004, 10:38 PM	#3
vashti1999 NY METS - #1 Forum Fanatic Join Date: Oct 14, 2003 Location: The world's greatest city - New York City Posts: 11,404	I just read the story on Yahoo, thought that was kind of weird. Isn't he Norah Jones' father?
	__________________ .

09-21-2004, 10:32 PM	#2
Jrnygrl Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 03, 2003 Location: wheel in the sky Posts: 4,540	AKA, thanks for the post!

09-21-2004, 10:43 PM	#4
Lee veteran member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: May 23, 2001 Location: Pulaski, Tennessee Posts: 4,766	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!

09-21-2004, 10:44 PM	#5
Lee veteran member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: May 23, 2001 Location: Pulaski, Tennessee Posts: 4,766	How soon do you think it will be before this thread is closed?

09-21-2004, 10:50 PM	#8
AKA Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 17, 2001 Posts: 15,746	Thank God America has been saved from the evil Cat Stevens. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! [Hides]

09-21-2004, 10:55 PM	#11
AKA Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 17, 2001 Posts: 15,746	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