Following Ayatollah Khomeini's February 14, 1989 death threat fatwa against author Salman Rushdie, convert to Islam and former recording artist Yusuf Islam, aka Cat Stevens, made statements widely interpreted as endorsing the fatwa. This generated a furor among a number of musicians, radio stations, newspaper editorialists and free speech activists in the West. In response Yusuf denied that his statements were in support of the fatwa, and claimed he was merely giving his interpretation of Islamic law. Critics claim several independent reports, including statements on video, belie his denials.