Title: US Urges India to Collaborate with Canada in Murder Investigation of Sikh Separatist Leader
Date: September 22, 2023
Washington/Ottawa – The United States has expressed its expectation that the Indian government should cooperate with Canada in investigating the potential involvement of Indian agents in the murder of a Canadian citizen in June. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently revealed credible intelligence linking Indian agents to the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, leading to a strong denial from New Delhi.
During a press briefing, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the significance of India’s cooperation with Canadian authorities. “We are deeply concerned about the allegations that Prime Minister Trudeau has raised,” said Blinken. “It would be important that India work with the Canadians on this investigation. We want to see accountability.”
While the White House had previously expressed concerns over the allegations, Blinken’s statement marks the highest-level U.S. acknowledgment thus far. However, traditional Canadian allies, including the United States, have approached the matter cautiously, possibly due to perceiving India as a counterweight to China’s increasing influence.
Blinken assured that the U.S. has been closely consulting and coordinating with Canadian officials regarding the investigation. Speaking at a press conference, Prime Minister Trudeau reiterated the call for India to engage with Canada in resolving this serious matter constructively. “We are there to work constructively with India. We hope that they engage with us so that we can get to the bottom of this very serious matter,” said Trudeau.
Trudeau also underlined that Canada had shared its concerns with India several weeks ago. Although Canadian authorities have gathered extensive human and signals intelligence in their months-long investigation into Nijjar’s murder, they have not released specific details. A report by CBC News mentioned that the intelligence included communications of Indian officials present in Canada, some of which were shared by an unidentified ally in the Five Eyes alliance—an intelligence-sharing network consisting of the U.S., the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Senior Canadian government sources have expressed confidence in the intelligence presented by Trudeau. However, neither Trudeau nor his office confirmed or denied the CBC report.
The murder investigation signifies the crucial diplomatic and intelligence cooperation between Canada and its allies. The case further highlights the significance of maintaining accountability and the rule of law in addressing international crimes.
Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington and Steve Scherer in Ottawa; Additional reporting by David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Editing by Daniel Wallis and David Gregorio