Kamal Ghorui
Canada’s intelligence agency on Friday recognised the threat posed by Khalistani elements in the country. The report by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), tabled in Parliament, said activities of Canada-based Khalistani elements continue to promote a violent extremist agenda.It also highlighted the anniversary of 1985 Air India Flight 182 Kanishka bombing, stating, “This past year marked the 40th anniversary of the bombing of Air India Flight 182 bombing, whose suspects were members of Canada-based Khalistani extremist (CBKE) groups. It remains to this day the deadliest terrorist attack in Canadian history, with 329 people killed, most of them Canadians. There were no CBKE related attacks in Canada in 2025.”
The report, as cited by ANI, further warned about continued risks linked to such groups, saying, “Ongoing involvement in violent extremist activities by CBKEs continues to pose a national security threat to Canada and to Canadian interests. Some CBKEs are well connected to Canadian citizens who leverage Canadian institutions to promote their violent extremist agenda and collect funds from unsuspecting community members that are then diverted toward violent activities,” it added.The report is based on Canadian intelligence assessment of 2025 and appears to have taken a different tone with changes in political leadership, including Mark Carney.Meanwhile, the commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Royal Mike Duheme endorsed parts of the assessment but said there is no evidence linking threats to India.In an interview with CTV, he said, “Well, what I quoted in 2024 was based on the criminal investigation that we had at the time. The government official who made that quote, I’m not quite sure who briefed him. What I’m saying is that that particular file at that time, yes, I did say you had agents or proxies from the government. But what we’re seeing right now in transnational repression. the dots don’t always connect to a foreign entity.”India–Canada relations had strained in recent years over concerns in Canada regarding alleged Khalistani separatist activity and allegations that Indian agents were involved in the killing of NIA-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a gurdwara in 2023.India has strongly rejected these allegations, calling them “politically motivated.”
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