Latest news with #PMVE
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Pro-Khalistan extremism a threat to Canada, says spy agency in report
Canada's spy agency has said that India's alleged foreign interference activities have been driven by concerns of pro-Khalistan extremism emerging from Canada, acknowledging that some extremists use Canada as a base for planning violence in India. The admission is in the section on Politically Motivated Religious Extremism or PMVE in the Canadian Security Intelligence Service or CSIS' annual report to Parliament for 2024, which was tabled in the House of Commons on Friday but only published publicly on Wednesday. 'Since the mid-1980s, the PMVE threat in Canada has manifested primarily through Canada-based Khalistani extremists (CBKEs) seeking to use and support violent means to create an independent nation state called Khalistan, largely within Punjab, India,' the report said. 'While there were no CBKE-related attacks in Canada in 2024, ongoing involvement in violent activities by CBKEs continues to pose a national security threat to Canada and Canadian interests. In particular, real and perceived Khalistani extremism emerging from Canada continues to drive Indian foreign interference activities in Canada,' the report noted. 'Some Canadians participate in legitimate and peaceful campaigning to support the Khalistan movement. Non-violent advocacy for an independent state of Khalistan is not considered extremism. Only a small group of individuals are considered Khalistani extremists because they continue to use Canada as a base for the promotion, fundraising or planning of violence primarily in India,' it added, in a significant official acceptance by Canada of its territory being used to potentially foment terrorism in India. Such a reference to Khalistani extremism was missing from the report for 2023. The report also made the allegations of Indian interference in Canada, though, for the first time, it also underlined what motivates such alleged activity. 'These activities attempt to steer Canada's positions into alignment with India's interests on key issues, particularly with respect to how the Indian government perceives Canada-based supporters of an independent homeland that they call Khalistan,' the report stated. 'The main perpetrators of foreign interference and espionage against Canada include the PRC (People's Republic of China) , India, the Russian Federation, the Islamic Republic of Iran,' it said. The recognition that violence targeting India may be funded and planned from Canada was not the first this year as the tenor of official reports has changed since Justin Trudeau's announcement in January that he was going to resign as Prime Minister. The final report of the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions, which is headed by Justice Marie-Josee Hogue, and released on January 28, stated that according to CSIS 'India has some legitimate basis for concerns about the security threat posed by Khalistani extremism in Canada. Some extremists have engaged in threat-related activities directed at India from within Canada, notably by coordinating and funding terrorist activities in India.' It added, as per CSIS, 'the vast majority of Khalistan supporters are peaceful.' India-Canada ties nose-dived when former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau alleged in September 2023 that Indian agents were linked to the murder of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India dismissed the charge as 'absurd' and subsequently accused the Canadian government of giving space to separatists and radical elements that pose a threat to Indian diplomats and interests. As bilateral ties hit an all-time low over the past year, both sides expelled diplomats and downgraded ties. Following Mark Carney's appointment as Canadian PM on March 14, the two sides have been in touch at the level of leaders and senior officials. There have also been meetings between senior security officials, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on the Indian side and the National Security Intelligence Advisor, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Canadian Security Intelligence Services on the Canadian side.
The Print
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
Sikh separatists engaging in violent extremism a ‘threat to national security'—Canada intel report
'Politically motivated violent extremism encourages the use of violence to establish new political systems or new structures or norms within existing systems. PMVE actors engage in the planning, financing and facilitating of attacks, globally, in order to establish new political systems or entities,' reads the Canada Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) Public Report 2024. New Delhi: The primary politically motivated violent extremism (PMVE) threat has manifested in Canada since the mid-1980s through Canada-based Sikh separatists, 'seeking to use and support violent means to create an independent nation state called Khalistan, largely within Punjab, India', the annual report of the Canadian intelligence service said Wednesday. The report comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney on the margins of the G7 summit in Alberta Tuesday. The two leaders agreed for the 'early return of High Commissioners' to New Delhi and Ottawa, as a step towards normalising ties. The diplomatic chill with Canada had begun in September 2023 after then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of being linked to the killing of Indian-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. Wednesday marked the second anniversary of the Nijjar's killing outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia. India called the accusations 'absurd', highlighting that till date no evidence has been shared with New Delhi linking its officials to the killing. Four Indians, with no connections to the government unveiled so far, have been arrested and charged with the killing. For India, the space given to Sikh separatists in Canada and organised crime has been a major irritant in ties. For example, the 2023 public report, while making a mention of the killing of Nijjar, made no mention of Sikh separatists indulging in PMVE activities, even as Indian diplomats faced threats in the country. However, the 2024 report makes it clear that 'some Canadians participate in legitimate and peaceful campaigning to support the Khalistan movement'. 'Non-violent advocacy for an independent state of Khalistan is not considered extremism. Only a small group of individuals are considered Khalistani extremists because they continue to use Canada as a base for the promotion, fundraising or planning of violence primarily in India,' it adds. 'While there were no CBKE-related attacks in Canada in 2024, ongoing involvement in violent activities by CBKEs (Canada-based Khalistani Extremists) continues to pose a national security threat to Canada and Canadian interests. In particular, real and perceived Khalistani extremism emerging from Canada continues to drive Indian foreign interference activities in Canada,' the report says. Also Read: India-Canada resume diplomatic ties months after Nijjar row, envoys set to return to Ottawa, New Delhi India—main perpetrator of espionage in Canada The report highlights India as one of the main perpetrators of espionage activities in Canada, along with China, Russia and Iran. India allegedly attempts to 'influence Canadian communities and politicians', and when 'deceptive, clandestine or threatening' are 'deemed to be' foreign interference. 'With the re-election of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's political course will be a continuation of Hindu-nationalist policy agenda that has been implemented since Prime Minister Modi was first elected in 2014,' says the report. 'Links between the Government of India and the Nijjar murder signal a significant escalation in India's repression efforts against the Khalistan movement and a clear intent to target individuals in North America.' However, in the case of Nijjar, Ottawa has yet to provide any substantial evidence to New Delhi regarding the alleged links. Modi and Carney have agreed to resume law enforcement cooperation between the two governments in an effort to carve out the irritants in ties from the larger overall relationship. The breakdown in ties had led to Canada requesting India to waive diplomatic immunity for five of its diplomats, including the then High Commissioner in Ottawa—a move which had led to New Delhi withdrawing its diplomats and expelling five Canadian diplomats in October 2024, including its Acting High Commissioner. India has in the past denied that it interferes in Canadian domestic affairs. (Edited by Mannat Chugh) Also Read: 'Never discussed trade or mediation over Pakistan issue during Op Sindoor'—Modi to Trump
