Professional-Khalistan extremism a risk to Canada, says spy company in report
Canada’s spy company has mentioned that India’s alleged international interference actions have been pushed by considerations of pro-Khalistan extremism rising from Canada, acknowledging that some extremists use Canada as a base for planning violence in India.
The admission is within the part on Politically Motivated Non secular Extremism or PMVE within the Canadian Safety Intelligence Service or CSIS’ annual report back to Parliament for 2024, which was tabled within the Home of Commons on Friday however solely printed publicly on Wednesday.
“Because the mid-Nineteen Eighties, the PMVE risk in Canada has manifested primarily by way of Canada-based Khalistani extremists (CBKEs) in search of to make use of and help violent means to create an unbiased nation state referred to as Khalistan, largely inside Punjab, India,” the report mentioned.
“Whereas there have been no CBKE-related assaults in Canada in 2024, ongoing involvement in violent actions by CBKEs continues to pose a nationwide safety risk to Canada and Canadian pursuits. Particularly, actual and perceived Khalistani extremism rising from Canada continues to drive Indian international interference actions in Canada,” the report famous.
“Some Canadians take part in official and peaceable campaigning to help the Khalistan motion. Non-violent advocacy for an unbiased state of Khalistan is just not thought of extremism. Solely a small group of people are thought of Khalistani extremists as a result of they proceed to make use of Canada as a base for the promotion, fundraising or planning of violence primarily in India,” it added, in a major official acceptance by Canada of its territory getting used to doubtlessly foment terrorism in India.
Such a reference to Khalistani extremism was lacking from the report for 2023.
The report additionally made the allegations of Indian interference in Canada, although, for the primary time, it additionally underlined what motivates such alleged exercise. “These actions try to steer Canada’s positions into alignment with India’s pursuits on key points, notably with respect to how the Indian authorities perceives Canada-based supporters of an unbiased homeland that they name Khalistan,” the report said.
“The principle perpetrators of international interference and espionage in opposition to Canada embody the PRC (Folks’s Republic of China) , India, the Russian Federation, the Islamic Republic of Iran,” it mentioned.
The popularity that violence concentrating on India could also be funded and deliberate from Canada was not the primary this 12 months because the tenor of official stories has modified since Justin Trudeau’s announcement in January that he was going to resign as Prime Minister.
The ultimate report of the Public Inquiry into International Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Establishments, which is headed by Justice Marie-Josee Hogue, and launched on January 28, said that based on CSIS “India has some official foundation for considerations in regards to the safety risk posed by Khalistani extremism in Canada. Some extremists have engaged in threat-related actions directed at India from inside Canada, notably by coordinating and funding terrorist actions in India.”
It added, as per CSIS, “the overwhelming majority of Khalistan supporters are peaceable.”
India-Canada ties nose-dived when former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau alleged in September 2023 that Indian brokers had been linked to the homicide of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India dismissed the cost as “absurd” and subsequently accused the Canadian authorities of giving area to separatists and radical parts that pose a risk to Indian diplomats and pursuits. As bilateral ties hit an all-time low over the previous 12 months, each side expelled diplomats and downgraded ties.
Following Mark Carney’s appointment as Canadian PM on March 14, the 2 sides have been in contact on the degree of leaders and senior officers. There have additionally been conferences between senior safety officers, together with the Nationwide Investigation Company (NIA) on the Indian facet and the Nationwide Safety Intelligence Advisor, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Canadian Safety Intelligence Providers on the Canadian facet.
