Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun revealed on Tuesday that he has been alerted by the FBI and the RCMP about a fresh, credible threat on his life. This warning comes despite another individual awaiting sentencing later this year for a 2023 assassination plot against him.
Pannun, who serves as the general counsel for Sikhs For Justice, disclosed that FBI agents advised him on August 12 not to travel until the threat is neutralized. He was also instructed to inform the agency in advance if he decides to travel. Additionally, the RCMP contacted Pannun by phone on Tuesday to alert him of the threat, although specific details about the plot were not provided by either law enforcement agency.
In the United States, a “duty to warn” policy mandates American intelligence and law enforcement entities to notify individuals when they uncover credible and specific threats of murder, severe bodily harm, or kidnapping against them.
Sikhs For Justice has orchestrated a series of referendums worldwide within the Sikh diaspora, advocating for an independent nation-state known as Khalistan. Recently, a referendum was held in Indianapolis, with another scheduled in Edmonton on October 18, sparking disapproval from the Indian government.
Following the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Inderjeet Singh Gosal assumed leadership of the Sikhs for Justice movement in Canada. Gosal, appointed by Pannun to succeed Nijjar, received a warning letter on August 14 regarding a threat, initially communicated by the RCMP via phone.
Four Indian nationals are awaiting trial in connection with Nijjar’s murder after being apprehended in Edmonton and Ontario in the spring of 2024. Earlier this summer, two individuals in California were charged by federal officials for ordering the killing, although they are not currently in U.S. custody.
Meanwhile, Indian national Nikhil Gupta awaits sentencing on November 20 in a Manhattan federal court after pleading guilty earlier this year to involvement in a 2023 conspiracy to assassinate Pannun. Gupta was allegedly directed by an Indian government employee to carry out the killing but inadvertently engaged with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a hitman. Gupta pleaded guilty to various charges, including murder for hire and conspiracy to commit money laundering, with federal guidelines suggesting a minimum of twenty years in prison.
Despite the threats against him, Pannun, a dual U.S. and Canadian citizen, remains resolute, stating in a recent phone interview that he is not intimidated by the attempts to silence him. He urged the U.S. and Canadian governments to address Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding threats to their nations’ sovereignty, expressing determination to persist in his advocacy work, even in the face of danger.