Omar Sheikh, the main suspect in the kidnapping of an American journalist, may have been involved in an attempt to kidnap Nasser Hussain during England's recent tour of India. The Times of India has reported that Indian intelligence sources are investigating a series of phone calls that Hussain received in Mumbai trying to talk him into attending a dinner organised by former pupils of various British universities.

"It might have been an attempt to draw Hussain out of the huge security blanket thrown around the hotel as well as the two teams," an Indian official is quoted as saying. "We are trying to locate the source of the calls. They were persistently made during the two days that the English team spent at Mumbai."

Reports came to light during the series which claimed that there were plans to kidnap Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, as a result of which an extra 2000 security officials were drafted in to Mumbai to protect the teams at the final one-day international. Following those threats Hussain was advised not to attend any functions.

Sheikh, who is a British citizen, is sought by the Indian police in connection with a number of terrorist attacks and kidnappings He was a classmate of Hussain at Forest School in Snaresbrook.

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