An Associated Press source said the United States threatened a plot to kill a Sikh separatist leader
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States has warned of a plot to kill Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil, a U.S. official familiar with the matter said Wednesday.
US authorities have raised concerns with New Delhi that the Indian government may have been aware of the plot, according to the official, who was not authorized to comment on the sensitive matter.
The official declined to comment on when or how US officials became aware of the plot as well as how the alleged assassination attempt went off the rails. The official said the FBI was investigating the matter.
Spokesmen for the FBI and Justice Department declined to comment Wednesday.
This revelation comes after a September revelation by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau What he said were credible allegations that the Indian government may have had links to the assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nigar in that country. India rejected the accusation as ridiculous, but Canada expelled a senior Indian diplomat during the investigation.
The Financial Times was the first to report the assassination attempt, and said that the United States had informed some of its allies about the alleged plot.
The official who spoke to the Associated Press added that US authorities had raised concerns about the conspiracy at the highest levels of the Indian government, and officials in New Delhi indicated that they were taking the matter seriously.
“We take this issue very seriously, and the US government has raised it with the Indian government, including at the highest levels. Indian counterparts have expressed surprise and concern,” National Security Council representative Adrienne Watson said in a statement.
“They have stated that activity of this kind does not represent their policy. Based on our discussions with senior US government officials, we understand that the Indian government is conducting further investigations into this issue and will have more to say on this matter in the coming days,” the statement added. We have expressed our expectation that anyone deemed responsible should be held accountable.”
Law enforcement officials have repeatedly warned of what they say is a troubling trend by foreign governments seeking to harass, prosecute or intimidate dissidents and political opponents in the United States.
The Indian Foreign Ministry issued a statement noting that the United States had raised information regarding “the relationship between organized criminals, arms dealers, terrorists and others” during recent talks. The statement described this information as a “cause for concern for both countries” and said that India takes it seriously.
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Associated Press writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.
