Bush 1 Terrorists 0: Cat Stevens Banned From America

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Join Date 05/2004

Bush 1 Terrorists 0: Cat Stevens Banned From America

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From the Associated Press:

WASHINGTON - A London-to-Washington flight was diverted to Maine when it was discovered that passenger Yusuf Islam — formerly known as singer Cat Stevens — was on a government watch list and barred from entering the country.

United Airlines Flight 919 was en route to Dulles International Airport when the match was made Tuesday between a passenger and a name on 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.

Homeland Security Department spokesman Dennis Murphy identified the passenger as Islam. "He was interviewed and denied admission to the United States on national security grounds," Murphy said.

That rumble you hear is the crumbling resolve of Al-Qaeda.

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You know what the difference is PB? America is a world Super Power, Australia is not.... Australia would most certainly let Yusuf Islam in our borders, of this I have no doubt... none at all. Why? because John Howard and the Liberal goverment aren't complete morons. Do I agree with the war in Iraq? no. Do I agree with the way our country has been run over the last 8 years or however long he has been in government compared to how it was run under Keating and Hawke? Yes.

Iraq is the only policy we share with America... and like I have said on other threads, if the truth was told, John Howard wouldn't have gone... I can see past that, I guess you cant.

Sorry for the hijack again blogic.

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Smack me for my shameless self promotion.

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"admin" mugz strikes again.

I dont see this as hijacking, its a legit response.

It's a response to a comment, and another article, not the article in question...

sorry blogic, I never put any admin hat on, nor did I mean to, I was merely apologising for what I thought was hijacking on both mine and PB's part... Australian politics have nothing to do with this thread.

I wonder if Yusuf Islam would be refused entry into Suadi Arabia because he supported the survivors of 9/11 charities? I guess it is the Saudi's right... doesn't mean I have to agree with them!

It isn't the suicide bombers that are the main threat, since they only die once. The real threat are the people that keep funding their attacks. One causes a single attack, the other causes innumerable attacks.

Saudi Oil money my friend - of course, thats just speculation... but aren't the American government some of the biggest investors in Saudi Arabia, with the highest radicalised islamic beleifs in the world? clean up your own backyard before you clean anyone elses...

of course, all speculation...

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Reply #4 By: BakerStreet - 9/22/2004 1:29:00 PM
"I heard this on the news this morning and laughed my ass off. Yeah, the singer of "peace train" is a suspected terrorist."

The singer of "peace train" that supports the assassination of "enemies of Islam" and who had donated money and material to Hamas. I suppose a few hit songs gives you a free-ride when it comes to actively supporting suicide bombers...

Actually, I really thought it was funny, not that I didn't think it could be true, it's just funny. It's funny to think of somebody who was a Hippy in the 70's being on a terrorist watch list now.

I think the whole thing is just a media frenzy. We shouldn't even have to justify it when we don't allow somebody in. Last I checked, there wasn't anything saying that our borders are open for anyone to enter. Hell, even our business associates from the UK get questioned like crazy when coming to the US for business. I can only imagine what happens if you are on a "watch list" (And, I am sure that you only get put on it for good reason)

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They are illegal refugees mate... not deported or held because they are Muslim, but because they did not have permission to enter,

Yusuf Islam wasn't denied entry because he was Muslim. He was denied entry because of his financial support for terror groups. He didn't have permission to enter, either.

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Interesting the constant use of the phrase terrorist supporter. The fact of the matter is that there is NO proof that Yusuf is a terrorist supporter or ever was. The two incidents that he has most been critised for are his support of the fatwa against Salmon Rushdie and his deportation from Israel in 1991 for alleged support of Hamas. The support for the fatwa, while offensive to most of us is not illegal, just as many support death sentances in the US. The support from Hamas comes from an incident in 1988 when he donated a few thousand pounds to a charity that the Israelis claimed was a front for Hamas. Whether the charity was a front and whether Yusuf knew about this are questions which I have never seen answered. Neither of which is a serious offense, and both of which the US were well aware of.

Nothing wrong with the US refusing entry, but it should at least reveal the 'new information' that it claims it received. What information did it recieve to make it divert a plane? Did they believe he was going to hijack it or blow it up with his kid on board?

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Yusuf Islam has been an active fundraiser for groups that channel money to Hamas.

I don't think that's actually been proven. I did some checking and there's no real proof that he knew the charity he was contributing to was channeling money to Hamas. On the other hand, there's no proof he DIDN'T know, either. IMO there are probably better uses for our resources than detaining former pop stars. Only 2 percent of shipping cargo gets inspected per year, but we can sure find bad singers. I hope the refuse entry to Styx next.

I think the whole thing is just a media frenzy.

Yeah, I really chalk this one up to the same type of thing as when Barbara Bush tried to use a fake ID to buy beer and the bartender called 911. People like screwing the famous. And they get a little famous themselves. (I'm not trying to say funding terrorists is equal to underage drinking, just that the motivation for busting a famous person is prevalent in our society)

And you can certainly be denied entry if you have been known to provide financial support to terrorist organizations.

Well, that's the thing. They don't know for sure. And while I don't think the USA is wrong all the time, I certainly don't think we're 100% infallible -- this is one of those threads that cracks me up that it has so many hits, whereas more "serious" threads have slid right off the Joe User board.

I still maintain that Mohammed Atta should have recorded a few hit singles, then maybe he would have been refused entry to the US.

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Well, that's the thing. They don't know for sure.

Well, since you have better information than the US intelligence, I would highly suggest you run straightaway and get it out to the mainstream media. I'm willing to bet you'll be able to get a spot on "60 Minutes".

It HAS been proven that Yusuf Islam is ideologically aligned with radical factions of Islam -- unless you call those who support fatwas "moderates". In the years intervening, he has failed to apologize for those statements, despite numerous opportunities to do so.

His repeated support for terror organizations IS suspect, sorry. I guarantee you, if I am supplying millions to an organization, I am going to KNOW where they're spending their money. Heck, I have probably had access to information tha average joe doesn't have with that size of a donation. This is not the same as buying a $1 baloon at walmart for Children's Miracle Network, mind you. This is being at a donor level where you are WELL AWARE of the activities of the organization.

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ideologically aligned with radical factions of Islam

That's not what I said. I said there's no proof that he knew where the money was going. I never claimed that he didn't support the anti-Rushdie fatwa, and I never claimed he wasn't a radical. Read what I wrote again, and don't put words in my mouth.

And he didn't supply millions, the amount in question is $10,000 in 1988.

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This proves the system is working at the least, they just need to refine the list, and I don't think that crazy cat Yusif Islam knew the plane was diverted.

Or maybe he did?

What is the point in arguing over that crazy cat Yusif Islam anyways? Is there a reason for this intense argument?

- GX

"I have no answers to your questions, but I can question your demands." - Motto Inspired by Laibach's WAT

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I thought the story was funny to. But the guy does donate $$$ to Hamas. Therefore he should be denied entry into the US.
As far as denying entry of US citizens into the US. That's just stupid. If you are born here, you have the right to return. Even if you are a gansta rapper!

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Gah...you never fail to wind me up, Mugz, im outta here.

You wind yourself up... I have a right to an opinion, just like the US has a right to deny entry...

If they want to convey that image to the rest of the world, good luck to them I say...

Yup, ol Mugz thinks we should welcome him with open arms, and the only reason we didnt was because hes a.....gasp....Muslim.

Don't put words into my mouth... I know why he wasn't allowed entry, and after stewing over it, I can see where the US is coming from, I just know he would be allowed in Australia, just like he was welcomed back home to England...

Maybe it's the whole better nature thing about me... when Yusuf Islam says he donated to a peaceful wing of Hamas - if their is such a thing, I would like to beleive him. Not all of us a bitter and jaded LW - we still have faith in the world...

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