Ex-Pop Singer Held After D.C. Flight Diverted
Former Pop Singer, Now Known as Yusuf Islam, Is on the
U.S. No-Fly List
By Sara Kehaulani Goo
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 22, 2004; Page A10
U.S. security officials yesterday diverted a
Washington-bound United Airlines flight and detained
Yusuf Islam, formerly known as the pop singer Cat
Stevens, after discovering that he had been allowed to
board the plane in London even though he was on the
government's no-fly list.
Islam was questioned in Bangor, Maine, by Customs and
Border Protection agents. Dennis Murphy, spokesman for
the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said Islam
is scheduled to be deported today on a flight to
Europe. "He is being detained on national security
grounds," Murphy said. He declined to elaborate.
Islam was denied entry into Israel several years ago
out of concerns that his charitable contributions had
funded militant groups. He denied knowingly
contributing to any such groups.
Homeland Security officials worked with the Federal
Aviation Administration yesterday afternoon to order
the United flight to land in Bangor, the closest major
airport on the East Coast, after learning that Islam
was on board the Boeing 747. Islam, whose name is
listed as "Usef Islam," is on several government watch
lists, including the no-fly list, according to sources
familiar with the event.
While the flight was over the Atlantic, Customs and
Border Protection agents were routinely comparing the
passenger manifest against the watch lists and
realized that Islam was on board, these sources said.
Airline agents conduct similar checks before flights
depart; it was not clear yesterday why Islam was not
flagged before he boarded.
Transportation Security Administration spokesman Mark
Hatfield said his agency made the decision to divert
the flight. "We did not want that aircraft to enter
the Northeast corridor airspace," which would have
taken it over New York and into Washington, Hatfield
said. "We got information that led us to make a
decision, based on the fact there was a confirmed
individual on board."
United Airlines declined to comment on the incident
yesterday but said that its Flight 919 eventually
continued to Dulles International Airport yesterday
evening.
Islam recorded 12 albums before abandoning his singing
career in the late 1980s after he converted to Islam.
He drew criticism in the late 1980s after he publicly
supported Ayatollah Khomeini's death edict against
author Salman Rushdie. After the terrorist attacks in
2001, Islam said he would donate profits from his CD
box set to families of the victims of the attacks.
Staff researcher Don Pohlman contributed to this
report.
=====
Leo Imanov
Abdu-lLah
AllahsSlave
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