THRISSUR: Central agencies have started efforts to bring Aluva Kaprassery native CAM Basheer (65), an accused in the Mumbai blasts cases, back to India. A DNA test will be needed to release him. For this, the Mumbai police collected the blood sample of his sister in Aluva with the permission of the court.

Investigating agencies say that it was under his leadership that the Islamic terrorist activities in Kerala started. He is also a former SIMI national leader. Central agencies had sought the help of Interpol after receiving information that he was in Canada. He was arrested at the airport while trying to escape from Canada. Two leaders of Sikh terrorist organizations were recently killed in mysterious circumstances in Canada. He tried to escape from Canada knowing that it was an unfavorable situation.

Interpol had issued a look-out notice against him in the Mulund blast case in which 12 people were killed. Mumbai police have registered several cases against him, including terrorism, murder, conspiracy, etc.

Lead terrorist organization recruitment in Kerala

The investigating agencies had received information that he was leading the recruitment of youths from Kerala into terrorist organizations. He was an active worker of SIMI in Aluva and holds a diploma in Aeronautical Engineering. In 1993, he worked in the maintenance engineering department of Air India in Mumbai and was drawn to terrorist activities even before that.

Arms training from Pakistan

• Received weapons training from Pakistan in 1996
• Closeness to ISI and Indian Mujahideen
• Suspected involvement in the Bengaluru blast case.
• Also worked with Kashmiri and Sikh terrorists
• Also worked in some countries of Central Asia, including Syria

Cases in Mumbai

December 2002: Blast at Mumbai Central Railway Station

January 2003: Mumbai Vile Parle blasts

March 2003: Mumbai Mulund train blast