Hardeep Singh Nijjar: Justin Trudeau Reiterates Claims, Yet Refuses To Provide Evidence Of Indian Involvement
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who, earlier this week, unleashed a firestorm by claiming that Indian agents were behind the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani separatist, has refused to share evidence to back the allegations.
Trudeau, who called on India to cooperate with an investigation, had earlier said that there were credible allegations linking Indian government agents to the killing of Nijjar, who was shot dead outside a Gurdwara in British Colombia in June.
India, which has firmly rejected the allegations, has pointed out that Canada had not shared any specific information about the murder.
What is the leaked evidence?
While Canada has not officially revealed what prompted the government to go public with such a damning allegation, Canadian media, quoting sources, have revealed some details.
According to CBC News, the Canadian government has amassed both human and signals intelligence in a months-long investigation into the murder.
Who are Five Eyes?
The report said the intelligence included communications involving Indian officials, among them Indian diplomats present in Canada, adding that an unidentified ally in the Five Eyes alliance provided some of the intelligence.
Five Eyes is an intelligence-sharing network that includes the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
It further said that no Indian official, when pressed behind closed doors, has denied the allegation that evidence suggests Indian government involvement in Nijjar's death.
How US has reacted
While it is speculated that the US could be the Five Eyes member that shared the intelligence with Canada, Washington has so far taken a cautious approach.
"As soon as we heard from the Canadian prime minister publicly about the allegations, we went out publicly ourselves and expressed our deep concern about them, our support for a law enforcement process to get to the bottom of exactly what happened, and to ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable," National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said.
"I'm not going to get into the substance of private diplomatic conversations, but we are in constant contact with our Canadian counterparts. We are consulting with them closely. We support the efforts that they are undertaking in this investigation, and we have also been in touch with the Indian government as well," he said in response to a question.
Who was?Hardeep Singh Nijjar?
45-year-old Nijjar, a Punjab-born Canadian Citizen, has been on the radar of Indian agencies for some time.
He was one of the key figures of Khalistan Tiger Force, a Pakistan-backed Khalistani separatist group that was declared a terrorist organisation and banned by India.
Nijjar, who was also declared a terrorist by the NIA, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Surrey on June 18.
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