West spied on India to intercept plot to kill dissident Sikh leader in Canada

Justin Trudeau tells Narendra Modi the killing was an 'unacceptable violation'; at the G20 summit in New Delhi in early September Photo: Evan Vucci/AFP via Getty Images

Western intelligence agencies spied on India to gather evidence of its alleged plot to kill a dissident on Canadian soil, according to a new report.< /p>

Justin Trudeau, Canada's prime minister, announced this week that «credible» intelligence links the Indian government to the killing of 45-year-old Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in early 2023.

According to the broadcaster CBC News, the intelligence was gathered by spies and communications interceptors during a months-long investigation by Canada and its allies.

Canadian government sources told the network that the intelligence related to communications from Indian government officials, including diplomats working in Canada.

Canada is part of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance, along with the UK, US and US . Australia and New Zealand. It is unclear which Five Eyes members shared intelligence with Canada.

Commitments to Five Eyes Partners

Chrystia Freeland, Canada's deputy prime minister, said she could not comment on the situation without jeopardizing the investigation and the country's commitments to its Five Eyes partners.

India has rejected claims of involvement as «absurd» and stopped processing visas for Canadians in response.

But Canadian sources say no Indian official has privately denied allegations of her involvement, CBC News reports.

Mr. Nijjar , a prominent proponent of a separate Sikh homeland, was shot dead outside a Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023.

In an address to Parliament, Mr. Trudeau called the killing an “unacceptable violation” of Canadian sovereignty.

He said he conveyed the message “personally and directly” to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G20 summit. summit in New Delhi in early September.

The US is looking for a new superpower.

The dispute has further damaged Canada's relationship with India, while the US courtes a potential new superpower.

Washington resists proposals He has avoided raising the issue to avoid angering New Delhi.

US President Joe Biden and other Western leaders also reportedly raised the issue of Nijjar's killing with Modi during the G20 meeting.

Jake Sullivan, the US national security adviser, declined to confirm the reports but said the US had raised concerns about the issue with India “at a high level.”

“This is something we take it seriously. This is something we will continue to work on. And we will do this regardless of the country,” he said.