Aftab Ansari, the mastermind behind the terrorist attack on the American Centre in Calcutta, had also planned to kidnap Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar, according to a report in the Hindustan Times. Quoting official police documents, the newspaper said that Ansari had pinpointed the two players as targets to be held for ransom. "The plan for kidnapping Tendulkar was straightforward," the report is quoted as saying. "Kidnap the batting legend for ransom. But he wanted Ganguly abducted so that he could trade the Indian cricket captain for the release of Mohammad Amir Khajn, a militant who is in jail."

Ansari, who is believed to be in Dubai, had also wanted to kill APJ Abdul Kalam, the man who is credited as being the brains behind India's nuclear programme, but the plan was scrapped as the group were unable to acquire sufficient weapons to carry out the assassination.

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