Canadian intelligence agency sheds light on secret meeting with Nijjar before his death

Anjali Sharma

GG News Bureau

NEW YORK, 1st Oct.  Canadian intelligence agency CSIS on Saturday revealed that it held a secret meeting with Khalistani terrorist Nijjar a day before his death and was supposed to meet him two days from the killing on June 18.

Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, death strained diplomatic relations between India and Canada – two countries historically connected through trade and culture have deteriorated when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian government agents of a role in Nijjar’s murder, a charge New Delhi categorically rejected.

India termed Trudeau’s allegations “absurd and politically motivated.”

India suspended a Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat action and suspended visa services for Canadian citizens.

Indian government asked Trudeau to provide evidence to back his claim but received none, so far.

New Delhi has accused Ottawa of providing safe haven to Khalistani terrorists who openly promote violence against Indian diplomats and call for secession of India’s state of Punjab.

Nijjar was designated terrorist by New Delhi in 2020, Canada considered him an activist fighting for the rights of Sikhs.

According to CTV News Canadian intelligence agency CSIS held a secret meeting with Nijjar.

CSIS said the information can’t be disclosed as it was related to the safety and security of Canada.

According to news media reported that CSIS official Eric Balsam said, “There are important limits to what I can publicly discuss given the need to protect sensitive activities, techniques, methods, and sources of intelligence.”

“These limitations are essential to ensure the safety, security, and prosperity of Canada, and for these reasons, I cannot provide more information,” he further said in an e-mailed response.

The fact that the agency didn’t deny the meeting consolidates New Delhi’s claim that Canada was deliberately not acting against Khalistani activists who promoted violence against Indian diplomats in the country.

CSIS stated that there are reports that they have not been able to locate the killers even after more than three months.

India External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has told repeatedly to Ottawa over threats to Indian diplomats in Canada.

Jaishankar said that regular functioning of Indian missions in Canada has been compromised due to the “permissiveness to terrorism, extremism, and violence” in Canada.

“We have had smoke bombs thrown at the mission, we have had violence in front of consulates, there are posters put up. Do you consider this normal? If this had happened to any other country, how would they react? Let’s not normalise what is happening in Canada. It is important to call out what is happening there,” he said.

He reasserted that India is ready to look into the issue if Canada provides specific information.

“If there is a requirement for us to look at something, we are open to looking at it. But, I then expect somewhere, some pointer, something for me to look at,” he added.