<Cat’s Q&A Session

* ... DID YUSUF ISLAM CALL FOR THE DEATH OF SALMAN RUSHDIE?:
In a nutshell no, but he did feel the book was blasphemous. This is another complicated subject which is better explained elsewhere. See Yusuf's Press Release on the matter and the actual Fatwa.
(Source CatStevens.com, of course)

Yusuf Islam

During the heated debate regarding Salman Rushdie's novel "The Satanic Verses", which mocked prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) life, and made ridiculously medieval and ignorant generalizations about the nature of Islam and its followers, Yusuf Islam was asked about the Ayatollah Kohmeini's "fatwa", or legalized pronouncement of death for Salman Rushdie for spreading slanderous statements regarding Allah and his Messenger(PBUH). Yusuf stated that the Islamic punishment for such slanderous statements heaped upon God, Muhammad (PBUH), and Muslims was in fact death. Islam's "pronouncement" created a firestorm in the western media.
(Source)

More Yusuf Islam

Yusuf Islam is a man with a past. As Cat Stevens, he sold millions of records worldwide and was at the top of the charts; his performances filled large arenas. Then in the late 1970's he gave it all up, sold all his musical instruments, changed his name, and became a Muslim. He entered into an arranged marriage and fathered 5 children. His daughters were raised to wear the veil and his sons to shun Western culture. In 1989, his remarks drew him into the Salman Rushdie controversy, when he says he was misinterpreted as endorsing a death sentence on the writer. Yusuf Islam was further rumored to be a fanatic and a student of the Ayatollah. He says he's a devoted father, founder of Muslim schools, and fund raiser for charity.
(Source)

Cat Stevens Gives Support To Call for Death of Rushdie

* ... rather than go to a demonstration to burn an effigy of the author Salman Rushdie, ''I would have hoped that it'd be the real thing.''
* ... if Mr. Rushdie turned up at his doorstep looking for help, ''I might ring somebody who might do more damage to him than he would like. I'd try to phone the Ayatollah Khomeini and tell him exactly where this man is,'' said Mr. Islam, who watched a preview of the program today and said in an interview that he stood by his comments.
(Source)

There it is. I suspect that if this censorship advocate believes what he writes of himself and his own history long enough, he’ll expect everyone to buy it.

Doubtful,
Dan (not exactly a Stevens fan)