Author: Arun Lakshman
Publication: Rediff.com
Date: June 6, 2011
URL: http://www.rediff.com/news/report/keralas-basheer-may-replace-ilyas-kashmiri/20110606.htm
The Indian intelligence agencies are in a
sigh of relief mode over the killing of the head of the 313 Brigade Ilyas
Kashmiri by a United States drone attack, given the fact that he was directly
recruiting cadres from Kerala to be trained for terror in Kashmir.
Interestingly, a new phenomenon is erupting
with the terror networks in discussion for giving charge of the Indian operation
of the terror brigade to the elusive terror operative CAM Basheer, who hails
from Kerala, sources in intelligence agencies said.
An aeronautical engineer by training and hailing
from Aluva near Kochi in Kerala, Basheer was a former All India president
of the outlawed Student Islamic Movement of India and has fled the country
and is now believed to be based either in Saudi Arabia or Karachi, Pakistan.
Basheer was earlier in Sharjah and was running
an educational institution there, but fled the United Arab Emirates after
a deportation law with India came into effect with that country.
Believed to be one of the major fundraisers
for jihadi movements, Basheer maintains high respect among the terror networks
including the Al Qaeda and the Lashkar-e-Tayiba.
Basheer has also been instrumental in organising
the terror journey of youths from Kerala across the border to be trained by
Ilyas Kashmiri.
Highly placed sources in the intelligence
agencies while speaking to rediff.com said, "Basheer is highly intelligent
and can be dangerous given his contacts in the international terror network.
We have certain information that Basheer could be heading the 313 Brigade
in place of Kashmiri as he is also considered to be equally capable in execution
of terror operations."
