- Bashir went underground in 1993
- Contributed to Mumbai blasts in 2002-03
- The crime branch has sought his extradition
Chennaparambil Abdulkhader Mohammed Bashir alias CAM Bashir, this is the same name that carried out the attacks in Mumbai in 2002-03. The dreaded terrorist Bashir, who masterminded the Mumbai blasts, has recently been arrested in Canada. Bashir is claimed to have gone underground in 1993 when he was working as a maintenance engineer for Air India in Mumbai.
The crime branch has sought his extradition
It is worth mentioning that Bashir has been arrested by Canadian security agencies. However, the Crime Branch of Maharashtra Police has demanded his extradition. Mumbai Police has sought permission from a special court in Ernakulam to take a blood sample of Bashir’s sister Suhara Bibi for DNA profiling as part of the ongoing extradition process. It may be noted that DNA test identification is clearly mandatory for extradition to India.
RAW officials have already verified his identity and confirmed that the detained person is indeed CAM Bashir. However, formalities have to be completed before requesting extradition.
Recruited the youth of India
According to Indian agencies, before his arrest, Bashir was moving around Pakistan and Canada using fake passports. The government initially issued an International Red Corner Notice (RCN) for him from Interpol. He is believed to have worked closely with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and its K2 (Kashmir to Khalistan), not only that, but also traveled from India for training in terrorist outfits including Lashkar-e-Taiba. He used to recruit youth.
Bashir has done Diploma in Engineering
Bashir is a native of Kapraseri village in Kerala. He was born in the year 1961. He holds a diploma in aeronautical engineering and has been actively working with SIMI since the early eighties. After this he became a terrorist of SIMI in Kerala. Along with this, Bashir inspired many youths to engage in terrorist activities and played an important role in radicalizing the youth.
Thus became a terrorist
Bashir worked as a maintenance engineer with Air India in Mumbai in the late 1980s. He joined the Islamic organization Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) in the 1980s. He quit in 1991 to work full-time for Simi. He was one of the main organizers of the Muslim Unity Rally at the Bandra Reclamation Ground in 1993, which was attended by over 10,000 people. People from some Islamic countries of West Asia also came in this rally.
Went to Pakistan on a fake passport
Intelligence agencies also suspect Bashir’s role in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, but have found no concrete evidence. Bashir is credited with establishing a jihadi network in Kerala in the mid-90s. He was part of the first batch that went to Pakistan for arms training in the late 1990s. After 1993, Bashir never tried to contact his family. Intelligence agencies believe that he first went to Pakistan on a fake passport and later made his base in Saudi Arabia.
