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WASHINGTON - September 22 - A prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group today called on the Bush administration to explain why Yusuf Islam, an internationally-known Muslim peace activist and educator, was barred from entering the United States on Tuesday.
Islam, the former pop singer Cat Stevens, was removed from a plane bound for Washington from London yesterday when his name showed up on a U.S. 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 today in Washington, D.C., the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) issued a statement that read in part:
"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.' SEE: http://www.yusufislam.org.uk/beslan.shtml
"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 travelers or scholars will face such treatment in the future. This not the way to win the hearts and minds of Muslims worldwide."
The Washington-based group also renewed its request for an explanation as to why the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revoked the visa of an Islamic scholar who was due to begin teaching at the University of Notre Dame. In July, DHS officials revoked a visa previously granted to Professor Tariq Ramadan, a well-known Islamic scholar who is often described as a "moderate" and a "reformer." A statement issued at that time by Notre Dame said: "Professor Ramadan is a distinguished scholar and a voice for moderation in the Muslim world....We know of no reason his entry should be prevented."
CAIR, America's largest Islamic civil liberties group, has 29 regional offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada.
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