Prior Knowledge of US Agents Prior to the Killing of a Canadian Sikh Activist

US prosecutors have charged an Indian man with a plot to murder Sikh activists in North America. The case is also linked to the murder of a Canadian Sikh activist earlier this year, raising questions about what US agents knew prior to the killing. The indictment alleges that Nikhil Gupta watched a video of the Canadian activist being shot dead and then forwarded it to a man he hired as a hitman. Gupta referred to the activist as a "target" on a list. The indictment also reveals that the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia was part of the same conspiracy. Nijjar's killing caused a diplomatic dispute when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made allegations of Indian involvement. The US indictment has now added weight to Trudeau's claims. The White House was aware of the US investigation into the murder plot weeks before Trudeau went public, and President Joe Biden raised concerns with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G20 summit. The indictment alleges that Gupta was involved in international narcotics and weapons trafficking and was recruited by an Indian government official to arrange the assassinations. The target was reportedly Sikh activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Pannun is the general counsel for Sikhs for Justice, an organization that supports the Khalistan movement for an independent Sikh homeland. The movement, which was at its peak in the 1980s, is now banned in India but has support within the Sikh diaspora. The indictment reveals how US law enforcement infiltrated the plot and arranged for Gupta to meet an undercover agent posing as a hitman. The indictment also suggests that there may have been multiple hit teams involved, with one team successfully carrying out the murder of Nijjar. The US indictment has raised questions about the lack of protection for Nijjar in Canada, although it is unclear how much US intelligence was shared with Canadian authorities. The White House and Indian government have acknowledged the alleged plot and have launched investigations into the security concerns raised. Despite the potential diplomatic fallout, the revelations have validated the concerns of Canadian Sikhs who believe that the Indian government is interfering and suppressing dissenting voices.