Yusuf Islams? There are a great many of them, Martin. A tremendous number. It is probably as common a name as David Jones or Lenny Goldstein. I personally have met at least 75 Yusuf Islams, and not one of them was a former pop musician.

I wonder what would happen if Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam were to experience a dramatic new conversion to militant Christianity...or better yet...orthodox Judaism! He could then change his name to Jesus Christian in the first case...or Hyman Goldfarb in the second. He could make florid public statements condemning terrorism, demanding an end to the Islamic Jihad, and vowing death upon Osama Bin Laden!

This would no doubt go so well with the views of the Bush administration that he would have no difficulty whatsoever in entering the USA, which is always happy to encourage the right sort of fanaticism. Personally, I would be more than willing to change my name and religion for the privilege of entering the veritable paradise that is your country, Martin, and enjoying the privileges of peace, liberty, freedom, and mass consumerism upon which it is founded.

I am going to write Mr Islam and suggest that he do this right away.