Canada names Indian ambassador as person of interest in Hardeep Singh Nijjar killing

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Canada names Indian ambassador as person of interest in Hardeep Singh Nijjar killing

时间：2024-10-16 08:45 来源：未知作者：admin 阅读：次

In short:

The Canadian government says it has expelled six Indian diplomats, including the high commissioner, after police uncovered evidence of ongoing violent criminal activity linked to the Indian government.

Shortly afterwards, the Indian foreign ministry said it was expelling six Canadian diplomats, including the acting high commissioner and the deputy high commissioner.

Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said "ample, clear and concrete evidence" linked Indian officials to the Nijjar case.

Canada and India have each expelled six diplomats in tit-for-tat moves as part of an escalating dispute over the June 2023 assassination of a Sikh activist in Canada.

Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said Ottawa was expelling six Indian diplomats, including the high commissioner, after police uncovered evidence of a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by agents of the Indian government.

Shortly afterwards, the Indian foreign ministry said it was expelling six Canadian diplomats, including the acting high commissioner and the deputy high commissioner.

It said in a statement the diplomats were told to leave India by the end of Saturday.

The Indian ministry had said earlier on Monday that Delhi was withdrawing its diplomats after rejecting Canada's diplomatic communication on Sunday that said the Indian ambassador was a "person of interest" in the assassination.

A senior Canadian official said Canada expelled the Indian diplomats first before they withdrew. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly on the matter.

Ms Joly said in a statement that police gathered information that established links between criminal investigations and Indian government agents. Ms Joly said India was asked to waive diplomatic and consular immunities and to cooperate in the investigation.

"Regrettably, as India did not agree and given the ongoing public safety concerns for Canadians, Canada served notices of expulsion to these individuals. Subsequent to those notices, India announced it would withdraw its officials," Ms Joly said.

'Clear and concrete evidence' points to diplomats: Canada

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last year that there were credible allegations the Indian government had links to the assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.

"The decision to expel these individuals was made with great consideration and only after the RCMP [Royal Canadian Mounted Police] gathered ample, clear and concrete evidence which identified six individuals as persons of interest in the Nijjar case," Ms Joly said in her statement.

"We continue to ask that the Indian government support the ongoing investigation in the Nijjar case, as it remains in both our countries' interest to get to the bottom of this," she said.

Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead outside a temple in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.

RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme said police had evidence tying Indian government agents to other homicides and violent acts in Canada.

He declined to provide specifics.

"The team has learned a significant amount of information about the breadth and depth of criminal activity orchestrated by agents of the government of India, and consequential threats to the safety and security of Canadians and individuals living in Canada," Commissioner Duheme said.

India has rejected the accusation as absurd.

Killing sparks diplomatic spiral

Mr Nijjar, 45, was fatally shot in his pick-up truck in June 2023 after he left the Sikh temple he led in the city of Surrey, British Columbia.

An Indian-born citizen of Canada, he owned a plumbing business and was a leader in what remains of a once-strong movement to create an independent Sikh homeland.

India designated him a terrorist in 2020, and at the time of his death had been seeking his arrest for alleged involvement in an attack on a Hindu priest.

In response to the allegations, India told Canada last year to remove 41 of its 62 diplomats in the country.

Ever since, the relations between the two countries have been frosty.

The pro-Khalistan, or Sikh independence, movement is a thorny issue between India and Canada.

New Delhi has repeatedly criticised Mr Trudeau's government for being soft on supporters of the Khalistan movement who reside in Canada.

The Khalistan movement is banned in India, but has support among the Sikh diaspora, particularly in Canada.

Canada's Deputy High Commissioner to India Stewart Wheeler (left) leaves after meeting with officials at the Indian government's Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi.

India has been asking countries such as Canada, Australia and the UK to take legal action against Sikh activists.

India has particularly raised these concerns with Canada, where Sikhs make up nearly 2 per cent of the country's population.

The Indian foreign ministry said on Monday that "India reserves the right to take further steps in response to the Trudeau government's support for extremism, violence and separatism against India".

The ministry also summoned the top Canadian diplomat in New Delhi and told him that "the baseless targeting" of the Indian high commissioner, or ambassador, and other diplomats and officials in Canada "was completely unacceptable".

"We have no faith in the current Canadian government's commitment to ensure their security," it said.

'Incredible and irrefutable evidence'

Stewart Wheeler, the Canadian diplomat who was directed to leave India, told reporters after being summoned that his government has shared "incredible and irrefutable evidence of ties between agents of the government of India and the murder of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil."

Mr Wheeler said India must investigate the allegations and that Canada "stands ready to cooperate with India".

Diplomatic relations between the two countries have deteriorated further.

An Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said Australia had made clear concerns about the allegations.

"Australia respects Canada's judicial process," the spokesperson said.

"We have conveyed our concerns to India.

"Our position of principle is that the sovereignty of all countries should be respected and that the rule of law should be respected."

"We understand these reports will be particularly worrying for some communities in Australia.

"Australian Indian communities are valued and important contributors to our vibrant multicultural society, where everyone can peacefully and safely express their views."

Meanwhile, the US State Department said in a statement on Monday that an Indian enquiry committee set up to investigate a plot to assassinate another prominent Sikh separatist leader living in New York would travel to Washington on Tuesday as part of its ongoing investigations to discuss the case.

"Additionally, India has informed the United States they are continuing their efforts to investigate other linkages of the former government employee and will determine follow-up steps, as necessary," it said.

Last year, US prosecutors said that an Indian government official directed the plot to assassinate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil and announced charges against a man they said was part of the thwarted conspiracy.

The Indian government official was neither charged nor identified by name, but was described as a "senior field officer" with responsibilities in security management and intelligence, said to have previously served in India's Central Reserve Police Force.

New Delhi at that time had expressed concern after the US raised the issue, and said India took it seriously.

By：https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-15/canadian-police-indian-agents-criminal-activity/104472346

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