Sikh activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun revealed that he has been alerted by both the FBI and the RCMP about a credible new danger to his life. He was advised by FBI agents on August 12 not to travel until the threat is addressed, and to inform the agency in advance if he chooses to travel. Pannun, a citizen of both the U.S. and Canada, also received a warning from the RCMP over the phone on Tuesday, but no specific details about the threat were provided by either agency.
In the United States, there is a “duty to warn” procedure that mandates intelligence and law enforcement agencies to notify individuals when they uncover credible and specific threats of murder, serious bodily harm, or kidnapping against them.
Sikhs for Justice, an organization led by Pannun, has been conducting referendums across the global Sikh community to advocate for an independent state called Khalistan, causing tensions with the Indian government. Following the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023, Inderjeet Singh Gosal was appointed by Pannun to lead the movement in Canada. Gosal recently received a warning about a threat on August 14, with the RCMP initially contacting him by phone.
Four Indian nationals are awaiting trial in connection with Nijjar’s killing after being apprehended in Edmonton and Ontario in the spring of 2024. Additionally, two individuals in California face charges for orchestrating the killing, although they are not currently in U.S. custody.
Meanwhile, Nikhil Gupta from India is awaiting sentencing in Manhattan federal court on November 20 for his involvement in a 2023 plot to assassinate Pannun. Gupta, who pleaded guilty to multiple charges, was directed by an Indian government employee to carry out the assassination but was intercepted by an undercover law enforcement officer.
Despite the threats, Pannun remains resolute and undeterred, expressing his determination to continue his activism. He has called on both the U.S. and Canadian governments to address the threats to their sovereignty posed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration. Pannun sees the ongoing threats as a testament to the effectiveness of his advocacy efforts, vowing to persist regardless of the risks.
