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Australia’s home intelligence chief says he has “no reason to dispute” claims of a potential hyperlink between the Indian authorities and the killing of a Canadian citizen.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau final month mentioned there have been “credible allegations” of a potential link between Indian government agents and the death of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
India rejected the accusations as “absurd” and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in response.
Asked for his evaluation of Canada’s allegations, ASIO director normal Mike Burgess informed the ABC he would have “no reason to dispute what the Canadian government has said in this matter”.
“There’s no doubt any allegation of any country being accused of carrying out an execution of a citizen in that country, it’s a serious allegation, and something that we don’t do and something that nations should not do,” he mentioned.
Mr Burgess was talking in California on the sidelines of an historic public gathering of Five Eyes intelligence companions, of which Australia and Canada are each members.
He wouldn’t affirm whether or not the problem was being mentioned behind the scenes of the summit.
But a nationwide safety supply informed the ABC that Mr Burgess was briefed on the matter earlier than final month’s G20 summit in New Delhi, the place Mr Trudeau raised his considerations immediately with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
ASIO guarantees motion in occasion of interference
Mr Nijjar was an outspoken supporter of an unbiased Sikh homeland often called Khalistan and had been designated a “terrorist” by the Indian authorities.
Some Australian Sikh leaders have backed Canada’s accusations and say Mr Nijjar’s demise has made them fearful of similar violence taking place in their communities.
“Whether or not it will happen here, I wouldn’t publicly speculate, I don’t think that’s appropriate,” Mr Burgess mentioned.
“I can assure you that when we find governments interfering in our country, or planning to interfere in our country, we will deal with them effectively.”
Mr Burgess mentioned there was a distinction between group tensions, like those which have flared over a vote held as part of the Khalistan movement, and foreign interference on the part of the Indian government.
“For us, that plays out in society, you see protests, counter-protests, and sometimes there’s communal violence or spontaneous violence,” he mentioned.
“That’s not a nation state seeking to interfere and covertly or deceptively harm and intimidate people.
“Of course, if we see that we’ll act.”
Middle East battle may change Australian safety setting
The director general also reiterated his warning of the possibility for “spontaneous violence” in Australia stemming from protests being held in response to the Israel-Gaza war.
“What ASIO worries about just isn’t protest and counter-protest, we search for the small variety of people which have an ideology that assume violence is the reply,” he mentioned.
“Or any particular person that really goes to violence within the promotion of their political trigger or selling communal violence.”
While the national terrorism threat level remains at ‘possible’, Mr Burgess said the situation could shift depending on how the conflict proceeds.
“There’s little doubt the period and nature of this struggle or battle truly can drive adjustments in our safety setting; it is one thing we hold below fixed assessment,” he mentioned.
“So sure, it’s a issue, it is not the one issue. We will proceed to look at that.”
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