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