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US indicts an Indian national for allegedly plotting to kill Sikhs

2023-11-29 19:21:00, Aktualitet CNA

The US Department of Justice announced charges on Wednesday against an Indian national for orchestrating an unsuccessful plot to kill a Sikh separatist on US soil. The suspect is accused of acting on behalf of an official of the Indian government, reports DE.

The announcement comes just weeks after Canada linked the Indian government to the killing of a Sikh activist on its soil, sparking a diplomatic row between the two countries.

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan said the Indian government employee linked to the plot held responsibilities such as security and intelligence. Prosecutors did not name the Indian official or the target of the assassination plot.

"The defendant conspired from India to kill, right here in New York City, an American citizen of Indian origin who has publicly advocated for a sovereign state for Sikhs," Damian Williams, the top prosecutor, said in a statement. federal in Manhattan.

The suspect was arrested in the Czech Republic

The Indian government official reportedly directed the assassination plot from India, working with the suspect charged by US authorities and others based around the world, the US government said.

Prosecutors allege the suspect, named Nikhil G., contacted someone he believed to be a criminal associate to help hire a hitman for the assassination. But the associate he contacted was an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration agent.

Nikhil G., 52, was arrested by Czech authorities in June and is awaiting extradition to the US.

He faces two counts of murder-for-hire conspiracy and murder-for-hire, which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years.

India says it has 'initiated investigation'

An Indian government spokesman said in a statement that the US had "shared some information about the nexus between organized criminals, arms runners, terrorists and others".

Recently, the Biden administration has sought to build closer ties with India to counter a rising China, which both countries perceive as a threat.

The Indian government has long condemned the presence of Sikh separatist groups outside India in both Canada and the US, which it sees as responsible for keeping the movement for an independent Sikh state alive.

India considers this move a threat to its security. / CNA