By Sarah N. Lynch
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Senior U.S. officers met with Sikh advocates on Thursday to debate threats dealing with Sikhs in the US, together with a foiled homicide plot in opposition to a outstanding activist final yr, a number of attendees advised Reuters.
The assembly with senior White Home and U.S. intelligence officers got here two days earlier than President Joe Biden is to satisfy India Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The US has been pushing India to research the homicide plot in opposition to twin U.S.-Canada citizen Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, because it continues its personal prison investigation into India’s potential involvement.
The officers briefed a bunch of Sikh advocates in regards to the authorities’s ongoing conversations with India in a closed-door assembly organized by the Nationwide Safety Council, in response to the attendees.
The White Home and the Indian embassy in Washington didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
Biden may have a one-on-one dialogue with Modi on the sidelines of a joint assembly of the US, India, Japan and Australia on Saturday. India has featured prominently in Washington’s stepped-up diplomacy to deepen strategic partnerships aimed toward countering the affect of China and Russia.
Whereas the U.S. has expressed concern over the Sikh incident, it has to date emphasised the significance of the connection with New Delhi, given shared safety pursuits.
Senior U.S. officers on Thursday sought to guarantee the Sikh group that Washington remained dedicated to defending People from acts of “transnational repression” – a time period that refers to efforts by a authorities to harass, threaten or hurt folks on overseas soil.
In addition they offered an replace on efforts by U.S. regulation enforcement to teach native police in regards to the threats and to encourage Sikhs to report any threats or harassment.
“Yesterday, we had the chance to thank senior federal government officials for saving lives of Sikh Americans and for vigilance in protecting our community,” mentioned Pritpal Singh, the founding father of the advocacy group the American Sikh Caucus Committee, who attended the assembly.
“We asked them to do more and we will hold them to their assurances that they will.”
Final September, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned his nation’s intelligence company have been pursuing credible allegations that Modi’s authorities was behind the June 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian Sikh separatist who was vocal in supporting the creation of a brand new separate Sikh state in northern Indian known as “Khalistan.”
Two months later, the U.S. Justice Division charged Indian nationwide Nikhil Gupta with making an attempt to rearrange the homicide of Pannun, one other outstanding Sikh separatist, on the behest of an unnamed Indian intelligence official.
India has denied involvement in each incidents.
Gupta has pleaded not responsible and is awaiting trial in New York Metropolis, whereas 4 different Indian nationals in Canada are dealing with fees of homicide and conspiracy within the demise of Nijjar.
This week, Pannun filed a civil lawsuit in opposition to India over its alleged try to have him killed.
Following Nijjar’s killing, Reuters has reported that the FBI and the Canadian Royal Mounted Police privately warned at the least seven Sikh activists that their lives may very well be in grave hazard, together with Pritpal Singh.
Since then, many Sikh activists in the US and Canada, together with some elected officers, have mentioned they proceed to face threats and harassment.
