Cat Stevens a National Security ThreatA London-to-Washington flight was diverted to Maine on Tuesday when it was discovered passenger Yusuf Islam — formerly known as singer Cat Stevens — was on a government watch list and barred from entering the country, federal officials 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, and would be put on the first available flight out of the country Wednesday.
National security grounds?! Come on, now. I've certainly had my fill of "Morning Has Broken," but I don't think the man who wrote "Peace Train" is a terrorist. In fact, he's on record as being a pacifist, and condemned the terrorist attacks of 9/11.
"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."
After the Sept. 11 attacks, Islam issued a statement saying: "No right thinking follower of Islam could possibly condone such an action: The Quran equates the murder of one innocent person with the murder of the whole of humanity."
So what is really going on here? Why would Cat Stevens be considered a threat to national security? Maybe John Ashcroft knows. I certainly don't.