OT: Cat Stevens Delays Plane - Kramer Wins Bet With Earl Haffler - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Seinatra · 09-21-2004, 10:26 PM

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...plane_diverted

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."

Ant-Lox · 09-21-2004, 11:07 PM

WOW!

Maestro · 09-24-2004, 07:16 PM

Cat Stevens... err... Yusuf Islam on a watch list?
I'm all about security, but this seems insane!

We're gonna hear more Peace Train, Wild World and Morning Has Broken being broadcast than we ever thought possible.

Who's next.... Gordon Lightfoot? Seals & Croft?

Elaine Benes · 09-25-2004, 03:12 PM

He looks so scary. I wouldn't get on a plane with him.

09-21-2004, 10:26 PM	#1
Seinatra Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 29, 2004 Location: Gran Chaco Posts: 1,840	OT: Cat Stevens Delays Plane - Kramer Wins Bet With Earl Haffler http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...plane_diverted 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, 11:07 PM	#2
Ant-Lox Cloud Watcher Senior Member Join Date: Feb 18, 2004 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 1,824	WOW!
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09-25-2004, 03:12 PM	#4
Elaine Benes Vixxxen Senior Member Join Date: Oct 23, 2003 Location: NYC Posts: 1,333	He looks so scary. I wouldn't get on a plane with him. Attached Images

09-24-2004, 07:16 PM	#3
Maestro Hipster Dufus Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2002 Location: Below the equator Posts: 2,905	Cat Stevens... err... Yusuf Islam on a watch list? I'm all about security, but this seems insane! We're gonna hear more Peace Train, Wild World and Morning Has Broken being broadcast than we ever thought possible. Who's next.... Gordon Lightfoot? Seals & Croft?