Toronto: The belief in Canada that Indian agents were implicated in the assassination of Khalistani figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar may be rooted in the interception of communications among Indian officials in the country. This information was obtained while receiving inputs from another Western nation.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned that he had discussed the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi earlier this month.
CBC News reported that the Canadian government had conducted a comprehensive investigation spanning months, amassing both human and signals intelligence. According to Canadian government sources, this intelligence was based on “communications involving Indian officials themselves, including Indian diplomats in Canada.”
Some of this intelligence was shared by another nation belonging to the ‘Five Eyes’ alliance, which comprises the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Australia in addition to Canada.
Additionally, Canada’s National Security and Intelligence Adviser, Jody Thomas, spent four days in India in August and five more days in September. Her second visit coincided with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to New Delhi for the G20 leaders’ summit.
The report also mentioned that during private meetings, Indian officials did not deny their involvement in Nijjar’s killing.
Earlier in the day, while speaking to the media in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Trudeau reiterated the claims he made in the House of Commons on Monday. He stated that there were “credible allegations” suggesting a “potential link” between agents of the Indian Government and Nijjar’s murder on June 18.
Trudeau emphasized that sharing these allegations in the House of Commons was done with the utmost seriousness and that he had discussed the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their meeting at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi. He called on India to take the matter seriously, work with Canada for full transparency, and ensure accountability and justice. India has publicly dismissed these allegations as “absurd.”
