Why is it that we are just now learning that U.S. authorities thwarted a conspiracy to assassinate a self-proclaimed Sikh separatist on American soil? Apparently, in his most recent discussions with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Biden issued a warning to India’s PM over concerns that India’s government was involved in the alleged plot. It appears that the target of the plot was Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, an American and Canadian citizen who is general counsel for Sikhs for Justice, a U.S.-based group that is part of a movement pushing for an independent Sikh state called “Khalistan”. Making matters worst, the Indian nationals suspected in carrying out the plot have supposedly fled the U.S.
The alleged plot follows the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian Sikh separatist killed in Vancouver in June of this year. In September, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there were “credible allegations” linking New Delhi to Nijjar’s fatal shooting. According to the Financial Times, separate from the above noted diplomatic warning, U.S. federal prosecutors have since also since filed a sealed indictment in a New York district court against at least one alleged perpetrator of the plot. According to the Times, the U.S. Justice Department is debating whether to unseal the indictment and make the allegations public or wait until Canada finishes its investigation into Nijjar’s murder. The U.S. Justice Department and FBI declined to comment.
Now, given this recent allegation, it is surprising that no one has yet been arrested by American authorities. After all, this would have been a case involving a “conspiracy to commit a crime” on U.S. soil. Even though the assassination was prevented somehow, there is nevertheless the possibility of charges being laid in light of the intent to commit a crime. In the case of Nijjar’s murder, Washington urged India to help in the Canadian investigation, but avoided being too critical of New Delhi in public. The question now for the U.S. government is why they haven’t been more forthcoming with information about the plot and its confidential warnings to the Indian authorities, unlike the full public disclosure of the Canadian Prime Minister?
Any threat to an American or Canadian citizen on American or Canadian soil is a direct and serious challenge to our sovereignty. What we are seeing in the Pannun case is an attempt by the American authorities to cover-up the plot for political reasons. They do not want to upset the Indian government which, as a member of the Quad security group along with Japan and Australia, is a viewed as a critical part of a broader strategy to counter China. However, what would have happened if the assassination plot had been successful on American soil? This may have been a different story!
What the situation does highlight is the fact that the current Indian regime is willing to sponsor attempts at murdering any active members of the Sikh separatist movement living abroad. Sounds familiar to what Putin is doing with respect to Russians living abroad whom he deems to be challenging his rule. European countries, most notably the United Kingdom, have publicly and without hesitancy condemned such Russian criminal activities and placed those involved on their most wanted lists.
The Pannun case demonstrates that the alleged plot involving the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada was not an isolated incident. If proven, India should be held accountable for its actions, and those responsible should be brought to justice in Canada or the U.S. The question now is whether the Indian government will willingly agree to participating in the respective investigations surrounding these two incidents? Both the Canadian and American authorities must continue to pressure India to do so, and to provide whatever information they may have. Given the attitude of current regime of India’s Prime Minister Modi, this may be easier said than done.
FROLITICKS 