WASHINGTON, September 23 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Yusuf Islam, formerly known as famous pop singer Cat Stevens, was deported to Britain Thursday, September 23, after a several hours’ detention in the United States.

The US action has triggered outrage among British and American Muslim groups, and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw complained personally to Secretary of State Colin Powell at the United Nations.

United Airlines Flight 919 was diverted 600 miles (1000km), landing in Maine, as one US official unveiled fears that Islam is linked to “terrorist” groups -– a charge the brother of the former pop singer quickly denied.

“It's not true… His only work, his only mindset, is humanitarian causes. He just wants to be an ambassador for peace,” David Gordon, a business manager, told the Associated Press Thursday.

Known for his hit song “Peace Train”, Islam became Muslim in 1977. Following a 17-year hiatus from the music business, he returned in 1995 and has since released three albums of Islamic-related songs.

He condemned the September 11 attacks on Washington and New York and the bloody seizure of a Russian school this month.

The detention and deportation of Islam has drawn outcry among Muslims in the United States and Britain -– and the British government also reversed its hands-off position to protest the act.

The incident prompted Straw to raise the issue in person with US Secretary of State Colin Powell at the United Nations in New York.

“The foreign secretary raised the Cat Stevens incident with Colin Powell and expressed concern that this action should not have been taken,” a Foreign Office spokeswoman told Reuters in London.

Straw's protest was a reversal of the Foreign Office's hands-off position earlier Wednesday, when a spokeswoman had said “the reasons for his detention and return are obviously a matter for the US and not for us.”

In Washington, the leading Arab-American group, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), sent letters to President George W. Bush and Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge asking them to explain why Islam was barred from entering the United States.

“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,” Nihad Awad, executive director of CAIR, told a press conference.

Islam was the second high-profile Muslim in recent months to be barred entry to the United States.

Awad warned that dealing with mainstream and moderate Muslims as terrorists sent the wrong message.

“When internationally-respected Islamic personalities like Yusuf Islam and Professor Tariq Ramadan are denied entry to the United States, it sends the disturbing message that even moderate and mainstream Muslims will now be treated like terrorists," said Awad.

Muslim groups in Britain also slammed the deportation of Islam, who heads a trust that oversees Muslim schools in the country.

“This incident comes only to confirm the farcical and ultimately draconian standards and practices exercised by US immigration authorities,” Anas Altikriti, Spokesperson for Muslim Association of Britain said in the group’s website.

“Rather than allow such prominent educators and figureheads of the Muslim world to enter in order to initiate an open, constructive and positive dialogue and exchange between the US and Muslims worldwide, it seems that the US officials would rather that the untrue and distorted images of Islam and Muslims persist in the minds of its own citizens,” Altikriti added.

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) also reacted angrily to the singer's deportation and warned that it could wreck the "bridge building" between the West and the Islamic world.

“Yusuf is known as one of the most moderate and reasonable Muslims who does a lot of work for charity and campaigns for peace. I cannot imagine how he came to be on such a list. This is a slap in the face for the bridge building between the communities which we have all been working for,” Muhammad Abdul Bari, deputy secretary general of the MCB and a friend of Islam said.

Islam has become a prominent member of Britain's Muslim community since abandoning his pop career and changing his name in the 1970s to devote himself to charity work and peace campaigning.

He is head of the Islamia Schools trust and has met UK Prime Minister Tony Blair as well as Prince Charles and Home Secretary David Blunkett in his new role.

But last year he released a re-recording of his 1970s hit "Peace Train" to express his opposition to the invasion of Iraq.

Apart from his schools work, Islam also has founded a charity raising money for orphans and families affected by war in areas such as Kosovo, Bosnia and Iraq.

A government official claimed Wednesday, September 22, that Islam recently had been placed on the list after US authorities received information indicating associations with potential terrorists.

Islam has condemned terrorist acts, including the September 11 attacks and the school seizure in Beslan, Russia, earlier this month that left more than 300 dead, nearly half of them children.

“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, peace be upon him,” he wrote in a statement on his website.

After 9/11, Islam issued a statement saying: “No right thinking follower of Islam could possibly condone such an action: The Qur’an equates the murder of one innocent person with the murder of the whole of humanity.”

In a statement released by his record label Universal Music at the time, he said: “I want to make sure that people are aware that I've never ever knowingly supported any terrorist groups -- past, present or future.”

Sources close to the former pop singer said Muslim organizations in London are to issue a statement condemning the airport move against him.