Pop lawyers in the UK, meanwhile, have secured a damages payment for Yusuf Islam (aka Cat Stevens of course) after two News International newspapers falsely claimed the peace-loving former pop star supported terrorism. The Sun and The Times both made the allegations after Islam was refused entry by US officials last year - the story basically said America was right to turn the singer away implying he supported certain Islamic terrorist groups.
Islam, who was presented with a Man for Peace award by a group of Nobel
Peace Laureates last Nov, strongly denied the allegations and, while some insiders at the Times reckon his people misinterpreted what was written, the two papers have agreed to publish an apology for the comments and will pay Islam an undisclosed damages settlement, which the singer plans to donate to the post-tsunami releif effort. The two papers will also cover the singer’s legal costs and commit to not repeat the allegations at any point in the future.
Commenting on his legal victory Islam told reporters yesterday: "It seems to be the easiest thing in the world these days to make scurrilous accusations against Muslims, and in my case it directly impacts on my relief work and damages my reputation as an artist.
The harm done is often difficult to repair."