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Sabeel is not a fundamentalist, says mother

Twenty-six-year-old Sabeel, an average student, was taken into custody on Saturday in connection with foiled car bomb attacks in London and Glasgow.

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BANGALORE: The shocked mother of Indian doctor Sabeel Ahmed, detained in Liverpool in connection with a foiled terror attack in Britain, on Wednesday stoutly defended her son, saying he is not a fundamentalist.

"Sabeel is not a fundamentalist. He is a helpful and service-minded person. He could have come in contact with such people. But for that, how can you call him a fundamentalist?" said Zakia Ahmed, a retired professor of Bangalore Medical College (BMC).

Sabeel, a gregarious and outgoing person, was supposed to visit his family here this month. "He used to call up every day," she said.

"When I did not receive his call on Saturday (the day he was arrested), I called up his friends and got the news of his arrest," Zakia told reporters.

She said she later contacted the British Police, who did not entertain her queries.

Zakia said her family was related to Mohammad Haneef, another Indian doctor detained in Australia for alleged links to the same terror plot. Her husband, Maqbool Ahmed, also a retired professor of BMC, is Haneef's mother's uncle.

"Sabeel and Haneef studied together at Dr B R Ambedkar Medical College here and our families are in close touch," she said.

Zakia said she is not seeking help from the Indian government or the external affairs ministry to free her son. "I have talked to his friends and solicitors who have told me that there is nothing much (in the case against him)...it takes time," she said.

While Sabeel's father was unable to stand the shock of his son's arrest and broke down, Zakia reposed faith in the Almighty and said: "God willing, the truth will come out."

She said she had spoken to her son for two minutes when she called the British Police at 1600 hrs on Tuesday.

"Sabeel told me he is fine and in good health," said Zakia, trying hard to maintain her composure.

The residence of the Ahmeds in Banashankari stage II, a middle class locality here, was thronged by reporters and curious onlookers early today. It was later cordoned off by police.

Twenty-six-year-old Sabeel, an average student, was taken into custody on Saturday in connection with foiled car bomb attacks in London and Glasgow.

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