Cat Stevens 'victimised' over US deportation

[emad]

The Guardian

Adam Jay and agencies
Thursday September 23, 2004

Yusuf Islam, the charity worker and pop singer formerly known as Cat Stevens, today arrived back in the UK saying he felt "victimised" by being barred from entering the US.His return followed a complaint by the foreign secretary, Jack Straw, to the US secretary of state, Colin Powell, over his treatment. Mr Straw, in New York for the UN general assembly meeting, told Mr Powell "this action should not have been taken" over the former singer, who was known as Cat Stevens until 1977.

The Foreign Office, however, declined to confirm whether "this action" referred to Mr Islam's detention or his inclusion on a US security watch list. Yesterday, the Foreign Office had refused to become involved in the case, saying "the reasons for his detention and return are obviously a matter for the US, and not for us".

Mr Islam flew to Heathrow airport after being escorted from a London to Washington flight on Tuesday and interrogated by the FBI. His United Airlines flight was diverted 600 miles to Bangor, Maine after the US Transportation Security Agency was told that he was on board.

US officials said Mr Islam was on the watch list because of suspicions he was associated with potential terrorists. He was barred from entering Israel in 2000 following claims he had donated money to Hamas - a claim he denied - and last visited the US in May.

"I'm totally shocked," Mr Islam told reporters at Heathrow. "Everybody knows who I am. I am no secret figure. Everybody knows my campaigning for charity, for peace. There's got to be a whole lot of explanation."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1311162,00.html

[Parche]

1. ridiculous

Maybe they will go after Muhamed Ali or Ahmad Rushad next?

When will this so called homeland terra stop?

[calico1]

3. Don't forget Kareem Abdul Jabbar.

We haven't heard from him lately have we? He must be up to something!

[AspenRose]

4. Or Ahmad Rashad, or Hakeem Olajewon, or....

Gee, is Malcolm-Jamal Warner muslim?

Oh, I got it: Paula Abdul! :crazy:

[calico1]

5. Oh, what about Felicia Rashad?

(Mrs. Huxtable)? She looks kind of suspicious to me! There were two of them on that show! Her and Michael-Jamal Warner! Oh, and don't forget, Casey Kasem is Arab too.
:crazy:

[BJ]

6. See my previous post on this topic

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=859100&mesg_id=859116

Is Uncle Tom Ridge, and the other two guys at the Department of Vater...er...Homeland Security, so dense that he thinks real al Qaeda terrorists will continue infiltrating the United States using Muslim-sounding names?

[onehandle]

2. Office of Fatherland Security ramping up the fear factor.

For General Rove. What else could explain him being ok in May, but not in September.