India Denies Absurd Allegations Made by Justin Trudeau
Toronto – A top US diplomat has confirmed that there was shared intelligence among Five Eyes partners that prompted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s offensive allegation about Indian agents’ involvement in the killing of a Khalistani terrorist in Canada, according to a media report on Saturday.
The United States Ambassador to Canada, David Cohen, stated that Trudeau’s public allegation about a potential link between the Indian government and the murder of a Canadian citizen was informed by shared intelligence. The Five Eyes network, which consists of the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, is an intelligence alliance involved in surveillance-based and signals intelligence (SIGINT).
Trudeau made the explosive allegation of Indian agents’ potential involvement in the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18. India has strongly rejected Trudeau’s allegations as absurd and motivated. In response, India expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move after Ottawa expelled an Indian official over the case.
In 2020, India designated Nijjar as a terrorist. The US Ambassador’s confirmation of shared intelligence was reported by CTV’s exclusive interview with Cohen. While Cohen did not comment on the nature of the intelligence or its sources, this is the first admission by a US government official regarding the sharing of intelligence by Five Eyes partners with Canada.
Reports from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and The Associated Press have also indicated that the intelligence referred to by Trudeau did not come from Canada alone, and additional information was provided by an unspecified member of the intelligence-sharing alliance.
Cohen dismissed a Washington Post report alleging that Ottawa asked its closest allies, including the US, to publicly condemn the murder, and this request was rebuffed. He stated, “I’m not in the habit of commenting on private diplomatic conversations.” Cohen emphasized that the matter involved shared intelligence information, and there was extensive communication between Canada and the United States.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed deep concern about the allegations raised by Trudeau against India. Blinken stated that the US is closely coordinating with Canada on the issue and wants to see accountability in the case. He emphasized the importance of the Canadian investigation proceeding and called for India’s cooperation in the investigation.
As diplomatic tensions continue to escalate, with Canada reassessing its staffing in India and India suspending visa services for Canadians, the shared intelligence at the center of this controversy remains a subject of speculation. The completion of the investigation is expected to shed more light on the matter and determine the truth behind Trudeau’s allegations.
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