In 30/05/1989 Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, appeared on a British Granada Television courtroom-style program, where current social dilemmas are explored by the technique of "Hypotheticals." In this episode, "a Satanic Scenario," a new novel deeply offends religious feelings of a minority community. A religious leader calls for the death of its author. How do the police, publisher, the courts and the government respond? The moderator is Queens Counsel Geoffrey Robinson. Stevens/Islam is recorded having this exchange with Robertson:
Robertson: You don't think that this man deserves to die? Y. Islam: Who, Salman Rushdie? Robertson: Yes. Y. Islam: Yes, yes. Robertson: And do you have a duty to be his executioner? Y. Islam: Uh, no, not necessarily, unless we were in an Islamic state and I was ordered by a judge or by the authority to carry out such an act - perhaps, yes.
[Some minutes later, Robertson on the subject of an protest where an effigy of the author is to be burned]
Robertson: Would you be part of that protest, Yusuf Islam, would you go to a demonstration where you knew that an effigy was going to be burned? Y. Islam: I would have hoped that it'd be the real thing
The complete episode can be obtained at : itnsource.com
The New York Times reported on this episode a week in advance: nytimes.com.
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