A team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) investigating the funding of local NGOs by foreign separatist Khalistani groupings like as Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) has contacted Canadian authorities in Ottawa to demand legal action, including their designation as terror organisations.
On Thursday and Friday, the NIA team was in Ottawa at the request of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to better coordinate investigations against companies and persons suspected of terrorism and to address other criminal problems.
The NIA had earlier this year formally requested Canada to declare SFJ a terrorist entity. To buttress its case, the NIA shared dossiers with the Canadian law enforcement authorities during interactions in Ottawa, sources said.
The NIA team’s visit comes as the federal anti-terror agency has evidence to substantiate India’s claim that SFJ was fueling violence in India, particularly in Punjab, as part of its separatist agenda. The SFJ is also spearheading the Punjab Referendum at the behest of Pakistani agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Headquartered in New York, the SFJ, aided by ISI, has spread its tentacles globally and has emerged as an influential voice among pro-Khalistan elements in Canada. The SFJ was banned in India last year under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Public Safety Canada’s currently listed entities include two Khalistani outfits — Babbar Khalsa International and International Sikh Youth Federation — other than groups like the Taliban, Islamic State, Al Qaida and its affiliates Boko Haram, Haqqani Network, Hizbul Mujahideen, Indian Mujahideen, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Tayabba among several others.
“The NIA team led by an Inspector General of Police held detailed discussions with senior RCMP officials to collate evidence on several ongoing investigations into cases of terrorism and other serious crimes in order to bring about successful prosecution of the accused in both India and Canada,” the Indian High Commission in Ottawa said in a statement.
The NIA delegation also “held additional meetings with the International Crime and Counter-terrorism Bureau of Global Affairs Canada and with senior officials from the International Affairs Division of Public Safety Canada, with a view to deepening and expanding India-Canada collaboration on counter-terrorism and interdiction of global terrorist financing.”
The NIA and RCMP officials also discussed issues related to evidentiary requirements in India and Canada and possible cooperation for capacity building in police investigation between the two agencies.
The Indian delegation invited their Canadian counterparts to visit India at their earliest convenience to continue the ongoing collaboration between police agencies.
India and Canada share common views on the need for strong concerted action against global terrorism and for curtailing terror financing. The police and security agencies of the two countries pursue investigation, prosecution and suppression of crime, including crime related to terrorism, through cooperation and mutual assistance in criminal matters.
The two countries have a range of ongoing bilateral mechanisms including a Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism. The two countries had signed a treaty on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters in 1994 and have an Extradition Treaty since 1987.
