New Delhi – Australia’s top intelligence official, Mike Burgess, the director general of the Australia Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), has bolstered the solidarity of the ‘Five Eyes’ alliance by asserting that there is “no reason to dispute” Canada’s assertions regarding the potential involvement of the Indian government in the murder of a Canadian citizen.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had previously stated in the lower house of parliament that there were “credible allegations” of a possible connection between Indian government agents and the fatal shooting of Canadian Sikh Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who is characterized as a terrorist by India.
During an exclusive interview with Australia’s ABC News, Mike Burgess was probed about his evaluation of Canada’s allegations. In response, he firmly stated, “I would have no reason to dispute what the Canadian government has said in this matter.”
India, on its part, rebuffed the allegations as “biased” and “motivated,” reiterating that Canada had never taken Indian concerns about the activities of pro-Khalistani groups seriously. The diplomatic tensions escalated when both nations reciprocally expelled senior diplomats, leading to visa operation suspensions for Canadian nationals and calls for Canada to downsize its diplomatic missions.
The United States ambassador to Canada, David Cohen, explicitly linked Canada’s accusation to the Five Eyes intelligence network, highlighting shared intelligence among its partners, which had contributed to the Canadian Prime Minister’s statements. The United States has repeatedly encouraged India to collaborate in Canadian investigations.
Australia, also a member of the Five Eyes network, is part of this intelligence-sharing alliance, alongside the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand.
Director General Burgess further emphasized the seriousness of Canada’s allegations, saying, “There’s no doubt that any allegation of a country being accused of executing a citizen in that country is a serious matter, something we do not endorse, and something nations should refrain from.”
The interview with the ASIO chief transpired on the sidelines of the Five Eyes summit held in the United States, although it was not confirmed whether the India issue was discussed during the summit.
When queried about the potential targeting of Australian Sikhs by Indian agents, Burgess responded, “Our responsibility is to identify espionage and foreign interference. When we detect it, we take effective action. Speculating publicly on whether it will occur here is not appropriate. Rest assured that we will respond effectively if we find any government attempting to interfere or plan interference in our nation.”
He noted that “multiple countries” had attempted to meddle in Australian society, citing Iran’s efforts to target an Iranian-Australian. Burgess acknowledged that multicultural societies often grapple with tensions originating from their home countries, which may reverberate within the diaspora. He made it clear that they are prepared to act in cases where a nation-state seeks to interfere deceptively or harm individuals.
In these challenging times of diplomatic tension, it remains to be seen how the international community will navigate the complex web of allegations and counter-allegations.