Ex-NSA of Canada reveals shift in police strategy in Nijjar killing investigation
- In Reports
- 01:27 PM, Oct 18, 2024
- Myind Staff
In a recent development in the investigation of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar's murder, Canada’s former national security adviser, Jody Thomas, testified that early intelligence and police findings suggested that Nijjar’s killing may have been in retaliation for the murder of Ripudaman Singh Malik. Malik had been accused of involvement in the 1985 Air India Kanishka bombing.
According to Thomas, who was NSA when Nijjar was shot dead in Surrey last year, some Canadian Sikhs were not happy with the conclusion that Nijjar's murder was a retaliation for Malik's murder. Thomas made this assertion during his appearance before Canada's foreign influence investigation. "It [Nijjar’s killing] was the second high-profile murder in the same gurdwara. Mr Malik’s murder had occurred almost exactly the year before. The initial hypothesis was that it was a retaliation. But the community was raising concern, said he.
On July 15, 2022, a Sikh activist named Ripudaman Singh Malik, who was exonerated in the 1985 Air India Kanishka terror attack, was shot and killed in Surrey. Nijjar, the head of the Khalistan Tiger Force, publicly slandered Malik, calling him a traitor and calling for a social boycott. This resulted to Malik's execution. But as the inquiry went on, more information suggested that Nijjar's murder may have been an extrajudicial execution. "Through very good intelligence and policing work, we learnt that there was a high probability that this was an extra-judicial killing," said Thomas.
According to sources in Indian intelligence agencies’ sources, Malik's 2022 murder was part of a larger plot involving pro-separatist elements, maybe aided by Pakistan's ISI. The involvement of Nijjar in the murder could not be ruled out, they added. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's appearance before the same inquiry, during which Thomas spoke, accused India of infringing on Canada's sovereignty. The Ministry of External Affairs said that Canada has not given India any proof to support the claims.
India has continuously criticised the Trudeau administration for being forgiving to Khalistan sympathisers in Canada. Tensions between the two countries soured after Trudeau made a shocking accusation in parliament last year that Indian spies were involved in Nijjar's killing. The claims were rejected by India as "absurd" and "motivated."
The murder of Nijjar widened the diplomatic gap when Canada listed India's envoy to Ottawa as one of the "persons of interest" in the inquiry. The claims that India was involved in the murder were deemed "preposterous" and a "strategy of smearing India for political gains" by India. However, both sides have expulsed ambassadors in the aftermath of the charges.
Comments