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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday said that India was informed about the potential involvement of its government agents in Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s murder, several weeks ago.
In a news conference held in Ottawa, Trudeau stated, “Canada shared the credible allegations that I mentioned on Monday with India. We did that many weeks ago. We are committed to constructive cooperation with India and hope for their engagement in addressing this very serious matter.”
Earlier in the week, Trudeau had revealed that Ottawa possessed credible intelligence linking Indian government agents to the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June, which had elicited a strong response from New Delhi. It’s noteworthy that Nijjar, aged 45, held Canadian citizenship.
CBC News reported separately on Thursday that the Canadian government had conducted an extensive investigation into the murder of the Sikh separatist leader, gathering both human and signals intelligence.
The report indicated that the intelligence included communications of Indian officials within Canada and was partially sourced from an unnamed ally within the Five Eyes alliance, which encompasses the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
While Trudeau has not disclosed specific details about the findings of Canadian intelligence agencies, his office has neither confirmed nor denied the CBC report.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken addressed the matter on Friday, expressing the United States’ desire for accountability regarding the killing. In a press briefing, Blinken stated, “We are deeply concerned about the allegations that Prime Minister Trudeau has raised.”
The White House had previously voiced similar concerns, but Blinken’s remarks represent the most senior U.S. official statement on the issue to date. Blinken emphasized close consultation and coordination between the United States and Canada on the investigation, and he underscored the importance of India cooperating with Canadian authorities to ensure accountability.
(With Reuters Inputs)
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