BKI, ISYF men on list of 9 ‘Khalistanis’ given by Capt Trudeau’s trip puts the spotlight on Sikh separatism
CHANDIGARH: Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) men are among the nine Canadabased alleged Khalistani operatives whose names were given by Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau three days ago for stern action.
These “wanted” men, described by the state government as “Category A” operatives, are alleged to be involved in terrorism-related activities such as financing and supplying weapons, besides trying to radicalise youth and children, in the state. While six of them are members of the ISYF, three others are said to be associated with the BKI and Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF).
The list, given by the CM to Trudeau during their meeting in Amritsar on Wednesday, is being viewed as significant as the names of two of these terrorist outfits also figured in the subsequent talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart. A text of the framework of cooperation on countering terrorism and violent extremism put out by the ministry of external affairs (MEA) named BKI and ISYF alongside groups such as the Al Qaeda, Islamic State and Pakistan-supported Lashkar-e-taiba.
Of those named, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Gurjeet Singh Cheema, Gurjinder Singh Pannu, Gurpreet Singh and Malkeet Singh, alias Fauji, already have cases against them in Punjab, said a senior officer privy to the list. The remaining four, who have been either frequently visiting Pakistan or are in constant contact with Pak-based militants and involved in raising funds for terrorism-related activities, are on the “watch list” of intelligence agencies, he said.
Nijjar, who hails from Phillaur in Jalandhar district, is wanted in four cases, including the 2007 Shingaar cinema blast in Ludhi- ana in which six persons were killed. A red corner notice was issued by Interpol against the operative in 2014-15 for “terrorist acts, punishment for attempt to cause explosion, or for making or keeping explosives with intent to endanger life or property”.
Besides raising a KTF module and giving funds for purchasing weapons to support terrorist activities, including hate crimes in Punjab, Nijjar, who is now based in Surrey, allegedly trained four Sikh youth in using AK-47 and sniper rifles in Mission Hills in British Columbia in 2015, according to intelligence agencies. One of them, Mandeep Dhaliwal, was allegedly sent to India for targeted killings, but was caught in May 2016.
Cheema, a former resident of Jogi Cheema village in Gurdaspur, who is presently based in Brampton, has been allegedly involved in recruiting operatives and providing funds to them. He visited Punjab sometime in March or April 2017 to operationalise a module to carry out terrorist activities in Punjab and gave money a month later for purchase of weapons, besides arranging weapons from the border (Pakistan) and locally.
When the state police arrested three people owing allegiance to Pakistan-based ISYF chief Lakhbir Rode from Gwalior in August 2017, Cheema’s named also cropped up. A case was registered against him, along with Pannu and Gurpreet, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Arms Act. NEW DELHI: As the eight-day visit by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to India concluded on Saturday, it has attracted much criticism, some ridicule, adjectives like “disaster”, “joke”, “fiasco”, snarky memes and cartoons, in the mainstream Canadian media.
But observers believe that one positive by-product of the coverage was that the issue of Sikh separatism on Canadian soil may have permeated into mainstream Canadian consciousness.
Normally, Canadian media hardly pays any attention to resurgent Sikh separatism despite its violent history in that country. But Trudeau’s India trip helped serve as a vehicle for informing them.
That message was driven home forcefully as the controversy over the dinner reception invitation at the Canadian High Commission in Delhi to a person once convicted for attempting to assassinate a Punjab minister in the 1980s.
Among the most articulate commentators to appear, including CBC, the national broadcaster, was f ormer British Columbia premier Ujjal Dosanjh, who himself survived a murderous assault allegedly carried out by Atwal in 1985.
Dosanjh said, “I think it’s a good thing. Previously, most Canadians didn’t think there was anything wrong, they didn’t know what was happening.”
Vishnu Prakash, former Indian High Commissioner to Ottawa concurred on the issue saying, “Awareness about the Khalistani issue and that the separatists were being afforded a platform, was rather limited...”