US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has commended the Indian government's swift response to the allegations of an Indian official's involvement in a foiled plot to assassinate pro-Khalistani separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the United States.
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#AntonyBlinken #GurpatwantSinghPannun #GurpatwantSinghPannunMur-derPlot #US #USOfficial #JohnKirby #JohnKirbyPannunMur-derPlot #NikhilGupta #NikhilGuptaArrested #IndianNationalNikhilGupta #USChargesIndianNational #PannunFailedMur-derPlot #IndiaCanadaRelations #SikhsForJustice
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NewsTranscript
00:00 The government announced today that it was conducting an investigation and that's good
00:04 and appropriate and we look forward to seeing the results.
00:07 In a significant development, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has commended the
00:11 Indian government's swift response to the allegation of an Indian official's involvement
00:16 in a foiled plot to assassinate pro-Khalistani separatist leader Gurpatwan Singh Pannu in
00:22 the United States.
00:23 During a press briefing in Israeli capital Tel Aviv, Secretary Blinken stated that the
00:28 government announced it was conducting an investigation.
00:32 Blinken called the action taken by the Indian government "good and appropriate" and said
00:36 that the US was looking forward to seeing the results.
00:40 The government announced today that it was conducting an investigation and that's good
00:44 and appropriate and we look forward to seeing the results.
00:48 The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has disclosed that it will establish a high-level
00:52 probe committee to address the security concerns raised by the United States regarding the
00:57 alleged criminal nexus and the attempt to murder Pannu.
01:01 Responding to questions about the case, Secretary Antony Blinken emphasized the seriousness of
01:06 the matter, mentioning that the US government had directly engaged with Indian authorities
01:11 in recent weeks.
01:12 However, due to the ongoing legal nature of the issue, he refrained from providing detailed
01:16 comments.
01:18 The controversy emerged after an unnamed Indian official was implicated in an indictment filed
01:23 by federal US prosecutors in a Manhattan court.
01:26 The indictment also named an Indian national alleged to have hired someone in the US to
01:30 carry out the assassination attempt on Pannu, who is a vocal critic of India advocating
01:35 for the establishment of Khalistan.
01:38 These revelations follow recent discussions between India and the US on security cooperation,
01:43 during which the US reportedly shared information regarding a nexus between organized criminals,
01:48 gun runners, terrorists, and others.
01:50 The development comes just weeks after the Financial Times reported that the US had thwarted
01:55 an assassination attempt on Pannu.
01:57 Pannu serves as the General Counsel of Sikhs for Justice, or SFJ, which is an organization
02:02 labeled as an unlawful association by India in 2019 due to its involvement in extremist
02:07 activities.
02:08 Pannu, designated as an individual terrorist by India in 2020, shares pro-Khalistani sentiments.
02:14 He advocates for the creation of an independent Sikh homeland, Khalistan, a demand viewed
02:18 by New Delhi as a security risk due to historical instances of violent rebellion.
02:24 India's National Investigation Agency, or NIA, had previously registered a case against
02:28 Pannu on charges related to terrorism and conspiracy.
02:32 The case highlighted Pannu's threats made through video messages to disrupt Air India's
02:36 operations globally.
02:38 This unfolding case is contextualized against the historical backdrop of the 1985 Air India
02:43 bombing where Sikh militants were blamed for an attack that claimed 329 lives on a flight
02:48 from Canada to India.
02:50 The international community will closely watch as the investigation unfolds, seeking to understand
02:55 the intricate details surrounding this alleged plot that has diplomatic and security implications
03:01 for both India and the United States.
03:09 (upbeat music)