INSIGHT: How could it be that a world renowned peace activist was stopped from going to the US. Yusuf Islam - a threat to national security?

Anyone who has ever met Yusuf Islam would surely agree the man is as peaceful and understanding a man as you would ever be likely to come across.

So it wasn't surprising that the refusal to allow singer Yusuf Islam into the US on national security grounds was a referred to as a "slap in the face of sanity."

The star, formerly known as Cat Stevens, was stopped from flying into Washington after his name appeared on a security watchlist.

His plane was diverted 600 miles to another airport where Islam was questioned. He was detained before being sent back to Britain.

Islam has become a prominent member of the UK 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 Prime Minister Tony Blair as well as the Prince of Wales and Home Secretary David Blunkett in his new role.

The schools are affiliated to the Muslim Council of Britain, whose deputy general secretary Mohammad Abdul Bari expressed anger at what had happened.

He said, "It is a slap in the face of sanity. If prominent, well-known personalities are treated like this, then how can there be bridge building?"

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) had said he was denied access to the US "on national security grounds" and would be returned to Britain.

A TSA spokeswoman said he was refused entry under the Immigration and Naturalisation Act "based on national security grounds".

The Muslim Association of Britain condemned the decision by the US authorities, which followed a move last month to prevent an Islamic professor taking up a teaching post in America.

Spokesman Anas Altikriti said such actions prevented "open, constructive and positive dialogue" between the US and Muslims around the world.

He added: "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."