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Bush asked to reverse Yusuf’s deportation

By Khalid Hasan

WASHINGTON: A leading national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group on Wednesday called on the Bush administration to explain why Yusuf Islam, formerly known as the singer Cat Stevens, an internationally-known Muslim peace activist and educator, was barred from entering the United States on Tuesday.

The singer turned Islamic evangelist was removed from a plane bound for Washington from London on Tuesday when his name showed up on a US watch list. The plane was diverted to Maine’s Bangor International Airport. A department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesman said Islam was denied admission to the United States “on national security grounds.”

At a news conference here Wednesday, the Council on American-Islamic Relations said, “Yusuf Islam is perhaps one of the most widely-known and respected personalities in the Muslim world. He has a long history of promoting peace and reconciliation and condemning terrorism. In a recent statement denouncing the massacre of more than 300 people at a school in Russian, Islam said, ‘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.’ Treating mainstream and moderate Muslims like Yusuf Islam as if they are criminals or terrorists, without bringing charges or allowing for due process, sends the message to the Islamic world that even those who seek peace and condemn terror are not fit to enter the United States. We call on the Bush administration to explain why Yusuf Islam was barred from coming to this country and whether other internationally-respected Muslim travellers or scholars will face such treatment in the future.”

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