Canada on Thursday reacted to the recent threat posed by Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, wherein he threatened the Indian government and Air India to blow up the flight on November 19-- the day when the match of the ongoing cricket World Cup is scheduled in Gujarat. In a statement released by Canada’s Minister of Transport Pablo Rodriguez to the media outlet Globe and Mail, it said that the Canadian government has taken the threat very seriously and added that security agencies have been investigating the matter.
"Our government takes any threat to aviation extremely seriously. We are investigating recent threats circulating online closely and with our security partners," he said. Besides, Canadian authorities have also assured India that it has already enhanced the security of Air India flights.
Meanwhile, India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa Sanjay Kumar Verma said Pannun’s statement was of “serious criminal intent, punishable in all legal jurisdictions” and added that should be taken cognisance of by Canada.
Earlier on Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs in a press briefing, said India has strongly condemned recent threats made about Air India flights by Khalistani terrorists and added, "We have been engaged with foreign governments on the activities of radical and terrorist elements, that have been inciting violence and intimidation of our leadership, our diplomats."
Notably, in a short video, Pannun appealed to Sikhs in the world not to travel by Air India from 19th November onward, saying that it can be life-threatening.
Why does Pannun fix November 19 as a date to attack IGI?
"We are asking the Sikhs not to fly Air India on 19th November. On 19th November, there will be a global blockade and the Air India will not be allowed to fly anywhere across the world. Sikhs, you do not travel by Air India after 19th November. It can be life-threatening. This is my warning to the government of India. The Indira Gandhi International Airport should remain closed on the 19th of November," he said in a 1.37-second video.
Further in the video, the SFJ leader revealed the reason why the terror group chose November 19 as the day to attack Delhi airport and Air India Flight. "It is the same day 19th November on which the final match of the World Terror Cup will be played. It will be shown to the world that a genocide of Sikhs happened in India and India did it. When we will liberate Punjab, the name of these airports will be Shahid Beant Singh and Shahid Satwant Singh Airport," he said.
Not the first time
Notably, this was not the first time he threatened the Indian government to orchestrate a massive attack on India. Earlier last month, he threatened Prime Minister Narendra Modi to learn from the Israel-Palestine war and added a similar "reaction" unravels in India. He further added that “we will do a Hamas-like attack on India.”
The latest threat came at a time when the relations between India and Canada were poised to a new low over the killing of a Khalistani terrorist in Ottawa. Earlier last month, when he threatened to disrupt the cricket World Cup, Ahmedabad police registered an FIR against Pannun. The FIR was registered in Ahmedabad under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
