https://sputniknews.in/20231213/us-india-share-obligation-to-investigate-terrorists-like-pannun-says-veteran-5819271.html
US, India Share Obligation to Investigate Terrorists Like Pannun: Veteran
US, India Share Obligation to Investigate Terrorists Like Pannun: Veteran
Sputnik India
The US agencies are under “pressure” from India to investigate activities of pro-Khalistan separatists and terrorists who have been threatening Indian sovereignty, an Indian military veteran has told Sputnik India.
2023-12-13T20:02+0530
2023-12-13T20:02+0530
2023-12-18T10:37+0530
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India will "proactively seek global support" to investigate activities of pro-Khalistan separatists and demand action against terrorists who have been threatening the South Asian country's sovereignty, an Indian military veteran has told Sputnik India.The veteran said that Indian intelligence agencies were in possession of a great amount of evidence against terrorists like Pannun, including proof against their “assets” in India and around the world. Dev stated that New Delhi would have presented the needed evidence to the FBI chief during his visits to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) this week.A statement from the NIA, India’s top counter-terrorism law enforcement agency, said on Tuesday that the FBI Director held “candid and wide-ranging discussions” with NIA Director Dinkar Gupta at the New Delhi headquarters.It said that areas of discussions consisted of “activities of terrorist-organised criminal networks, ongoing investigations in the US in the attack on the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, investigation of cyber-terror and cyber-crimes of various kinds”.The FBI Director’s visit comes in the wake of the DOJ unsealing an indictment against Indian citizen Nikhil Gupta, a drug dealer who the US claims was hired by an Indian official to take out Pannun.New Delhi has announced a “high-level” enquiry to look into the charges.Earlier this month, Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer urged “the importance of holding accountable anyone found responsible” after a visit to New Delhi, where he held talks with Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval.‘Onus’ on US to Provide ELINT to IndiaThe veteran noted that India didn’t possess sufficient technical expertise in ELINT and had been looking to secure equipment from countries such as Israel and the United States.He pointed out that while India had successfully developed a strong electronic intelligence-gathering network in its neighbourhood to curb cross-border terrorism, it was lacking sufficient capabilities in continental America.“So, we have to rely on agencies there to gather evidence on terrorists like Pannun,” he said.He said that this was “essential to build trust” between the two nations.He warned that terrorists like Pannun were being allowed to “endanger” the trust factor in the India-US relationship, adding that in no way could there be any differentiation between a “good” or "a bad terrorist”.India ‘Critically’ Scrutinising US Allegations Dev remarked that India would be looking into the US’ allegations of a foiled assassination plot against Pannun very critically.He mentioned that India would be examining how the US could potentially connect the scheme to an Indian government official, relying on feeble accusations made by a drug dealer, Nikhil Gupta.The expert echoed Jaishankar’s statement that it wasn’t New Delhi’s policy to carry out assassinations in foreign countries.
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US, India Share Obligation to Investigate Terrorists Like Pannun: Veteran
20:02 13.12.2023 (Updated: 10:37 18.12.2023) Washington has expressed serious concern about India's alleged role in a "foiled" plot to eliminate a pro-Khalistan terrorist, and has brought this up at the “highest levels”.
India will "proactively seek global support" to investigate activities of pro-Khalistan separatists and demand action against terrorists who have been threatening the South Asian country's sovereignty, an Indian military veteran has told Sputnik India.
Colonel Rohit Dev (Retired) rejected the idea that India was “under pressure” from the US and Canada in the wake of the Department of Justice (DOJ) indicting an Indian national in a foiled assassination plot against dual US-Canadian citizen Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a designated terrorist in India.
“It is the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray who visited India, rather than the other way round. Had we been under pressure, we would have been going there to present our case or defence,” Dev asserted.
The veteran said that Indian intelligence agencies were in possession of a great amount of evidence against terrorists like Pannun, including proof against their “assets” in India and around the world.
Dev stated that New Delhi would have presented the needed evidence to the FBI chief during his visits to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) this week.
“Information about the whereabouts of Pannun, who he meets or what he talks about, could be readily made available, either through social media or media channels, or through [the] ears and eyes of the Indian government on the ground in [the] US, Europe or any part of the globe. Corroborated hard electronic evidence could be sought from the host countries diplomatically and legally,” he explained.
A statement from the NIA, India’s top counter-terrorism law enforcement agency, said on Tuesday that the FBI Director held “candid and wide-ranging discussions” with NIA Director Dinkar Gupta at the New Delhi headquarters.
It said that areas of discussions consisted of “activities of terrorist-organised criminal networks, ongoing investigations in the US in the attack on the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, investigation of cyber-terror and cyber-crimes of various kinds”.
The FBI Director’s visit comes in the wake of the DOJ unsealing an indictment against Indian citizen Nikhil Gupta, a drug dealer who the US claims was hired by an Indian official to take out Pannun.
New Delhi has
announced a “high-level” enquiry to look into the charges.
Earlier this month, Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer urged “the importance of holding accountable anyone found responsible” after a visit to New Delhi, where he held talks with Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval.
‘Onus’ on US to Provide ELINT to India
Dev stated that the “responsibility and onus” was on the US to provide Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) on terrorists like Pannun to India, which would build on India’s case against the pro-Khalistan terrorist and associated organisations operating from the US and other Western nations.
“India will be looking to secure high-end ELINT from the US. The onus is actually on the FBI and the CIA to gather intelligence on the likes of Pannun and ensure that these inputs reach the host nation, in this case India, which has been demanding it,” he remarked.
The veteran noted that India didn’t possess sufficient technical expertise in ELINT and had been looking to secure equipment from countries such as Israel and the United States.
He pointed out that while India had successfully developed a strong electronic intelligence-gathering network in its neighbourhood to curb cross-border terrorism, it was lacking sufficient capabilities in continental America.
“So, we have to rely on agencies there to gather evidence on terrorists like Pannun,” he said.
The expert hoped that Washington would fulfil New Delhi’s demands in providing ELINT and information on anti-India entities, cooperate in counter-terrorism, refine its laws so that terrorists like Pannun won’t be able to threaten India like they have been doing and conduct “routine reviews”.
He said that this was “essential to build trust” between the two nations.
As a model for bilateral trust, Dev cited the case of India-Russia relations.
“Unless there is trust on both sides, the relationship can’t move forward. If we take the case of Russia and India, we continue getting advanced weapons systems like [the] S-400 despite the geopolitical turmoil. We are producing oil from Russia. There is a great people-to-people connect,” he explained.
He warned that terrorists like Pannun were being allowed to “endanger” the trust factor in the India-US relationship, adding that in no way could there be any differentiation between a “good” or "a bad terrorist”.
India ‘Critically’ Scrutinising US Allegations
Dev remarked that India would be looking into the US’ allegations of a foiled assassination plot against Pannun very critically.
“There are a lot of ambiguities in the US’ case on Pannun. When you are mired in such ambiguities, it is very important for the governments to have a frank exchange of views to reach the bottom of the matter," he stressed.
He mentioned that India would be examining how the US could potentially connect the scheme to an Indian government official, relying on feeble accusations made by a drug dealer, Nikhil Gupta.
“India has already announced a high-level probe to investigate the matter and will seek US assistance," the veteran noted.
“The Indian government would be very keen to go into the allegation. India is mature to not speak about it. We could have trashed it a long time back, like we did in the case of Canada, but our ties with the US are mutually getting aligned better. We should be able to take this case as a sample with deeper understanding and maturity," Dev opined.
The expert echoed Jaishankar’s statement that it wasn’t New Delhi’s policy to carry out assassinations in foreign countries.
“But every country has a sovereign right to keep a track of criminals, terrorists and other fugitives, with the obvious support of the host countries,” he concluded.
