Security officials can't quite explain why singer Cat Stevens, now known as Yusuf Islam, was on a U.S. government "no fly" list. Homeland Security officials diverted his D.C.-bound jet to Bangor, Maine. Security experts in England said that Islam years ago helped set up an Islamic charity which campaigned to bar non-Muslims from Jerusalem; he also allegedly provided funds to the militant Palestinian group Hamas. In 1994, according to German police records, the singer met a German Islamic militant who later was mentor to 9/11 hijackers. But recently Yusuf Islam broke with Muslim militants, condemning extremism and pledging proceeds from a CD set to 9/11 families. Jewish leaders in Britain praise him as a moderate and say an Islamic school he set up in North London teaches a peaceful brand of Islam. "All indications are that his move away from extremism is entirely genuine, and he now concentrates on his school and his music," said Michael Whine, a spokesman for Britain's Jewish community.

U.S. security officials say that Islam's name for years has been on watch lists requiring that his U.S. visits be monitored. Records show that since 1999, he has visited the United States at least 19 times, most recently last May, when he traveled to Washington and met with top Bush administration officials, including U.S. foreign-aid chief Andrew Natsios; Jim Towey, chief of the White House office for "faith based" programs, and a Treasury official hunting terrorist financiers. What changed since May? Sources say the CIA issued a fresh intelligence report accusing Islam of recently meeting with extremists overseas\ufffdpossibly in Dubai, where he maintains a residence; on July 27, at the request of the "intelligence community," the Homeland Security Department put his name on a "no fly" list, which banned him from getting on any U.S.-bound flight. (He was allowed to board his flight to Washington by mistake.) But sources familiar with U.S. intelligence told NEWSWEEK most of the info on Islam is old and that the latest intel may be of little consequence. Islam is threatening legal action to clear his name, and issued a statement denouncing "all forms of terrorism and injustice; it is simply outrageous for the U.S. authorities to suggest otherwise."