The United States is treating reports of a foiled plot to kill a Sikh separatist on American soil with utmost seriousness and has raised the issue with the Indian government at senior levels, according to a statement from the White House on Wednesday.
The Financial Times reported that U.S. authorities thwarted a plot to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh separatist claiming dual citizenship in the United States and Canada. The U.S. issued a warning to India over concerns about its potential involvement in the plot.
The report comes amid previous allegations linking Indian agents to the June murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Vancouver, Canada, which India has rejected.
India’s anti-terror agency filed a case against Pannun, accusing him of warning Air India passengers about their lives being in danger through social media videos.
White House spokesperson Adrienne Watson stated that Indian counterparts expressed surprise and concern, denying such activity as part of their policy. The U.S. expects accountability for anyone deemed responsible.
The issue is delicate for the Biden administration, aiming to build close relations with India amid shared concerns about China’s rising power.
India’s foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi stated that the U.S. shared “some inputs” related to the “nexus between organized criminals, gun runners, terrorists, and others.” India is examining these inputs, taking them seriously in the context of national security interests.
The Financial Times did not clarify whether the U.S. protest resulted in the plot’s abandonment or FBI intervention. Diplomatic warnings were made after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the U.S. in June.
U.S. federal prosecutors reportedly filed a sealed indictment against at least one suspect in a New York district court, according to the FT.
Pannun, a proponent of Khalistan, an independent Sikh homeland from India, faces charges related to terrorism and conspiracy in India. He threatened to boycott Air India in video messages.
India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) registered a case against Pannun, accusing him of threatening Air India’s operations globally.
Pannun, the general counsel of Sikhs for Justice, labeled an “unlawful association” by India in 2019, was listed as an “individual terrorist” in 2020. He emphasized the challenge to America’s sovereignty in the face of threats on U.S. soil.
