‘Khalistani terror a concern’, Canada says in govt report

TORONTO: For the first time in the tenure of the Justin Trudeau government, Canada has listed Khalistani extremism among the terror threats facing the country.

“… Shia and Sikh [Khalistani] extremism also remain of concern because while their attacks in Canada have been extremely limited, some Canadians continue to support these extremist groups, including through financing,” the 2018 Public Report on the Terrorism Threat to Canada, submitted by minister Ralph Goodale, read.

TORONTO: For the first time during the tenure of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canada has listed Khalistani extremism as a terror threat facing the country.

It has been listed as a matter of “concern” in the 2018 Public Report on the Terrorism Threat to Canada, submitted by public safety minister Ralph Goodale, who also launched the national strategy on countering radicalisation to violence.

While Canada’s threat environment remains stable, the main challenge comes from individuals and groups inspired by violent ideology propounded by Sunni extremist groups like Islamic State and al-Qaeda, the report said.

It added, “Shia and Sikh (Khalistani) extremism also remain of concern because while their attacks in Canada have been extremely limited, some Canadians continue to support these extremist groups, including through financing.”

This is the first time Khalistani extremism has been mentioned in the public report since its inception in 2013.

In his foreword to the report, Goodale noted, “Canada is known internationally as a welcoming and peaceful nation. But we are also resolute in our determination to reject and combat violent extremism in all forms. Put simply, violence and threat of violence have no place in Canadian society. Stopping and eradicating this is a top priority of the government.”

Khalistani extremism has been given a separate section in the report, along with Sunni Islamism, rightwing, Shia extremism and Canadian extremist travellers or “individuals suspected of travelling abroad to engage in extremist activity”.