Canada faces threats from Khalistani extremists: Trudeau govt report
Story highlights
The report by Canada's Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness says the country not only faces threats from Khalistani extremists but also that some Canadians continue to support Khalistani extremism.
A report by Canada's Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness on public security has highlighted how Khalistani extremists remain a threat to the country.
The report stated that Canada not only faces threats from Khalistani extremists but some Canadians continue to support the extremist organisation.
"Canada continues to face threats from individuals inspired to commit violence based on other forms of extremism, including from right-wing, Shia Islamist, and Sikh (Khalistani) extremists," the report said.
The 1985 Air India bombing by Khalistani terrorists in which 331 people were killed remains the deadliest terrorist plot ever in Canada's history.
The report comes at a time when India has been raising the issue of Khalistan extremism with Trudeau government in bilateral meetings, according to Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement in the Parliament.
The report highlighted how some Canadians continue to support Khalistani extremism.
''Some individuals in Canada continue to support Sikh (Khalistani) extremist ideologies and movements. While attacks around the world in support of this movement have declined, support for the extreme ideologies of such groups remains," the report added.
"Shia and Sikh (Khalistani) extremism also remain a concern because while their attacks in Canada have been extremely limited, some Canadians continue to support these extremist groups, including through financing," according to the report.
In Canada, two key Sikh organizations __ Babbar Khalsa International and the International Sikh Youth Federation __ have been identified as being associated with terrorism and remain listed terrorist entities under the Criminal Code.
Canada’s National Terrorism Threat Level remains at medium, as set in early October 2014 – meaning a violent act of terrorism could occur.
The Khalistan terror issue had dominated Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's visit to India earlier this year.
Presence of Jaspal Atwal, a Canadian with links with Khalistan groups, made the trip a disastrous and embarrassing one for the Canadian Prime Minister.
