Sikh outfits' revival: India talks to Britian

[Harbhajan]

THE INDIAN EXPRESS

Saturday, July 16, 2005

National Network

Sikh outfits’ revival: India talks to Britain

PRANAB DHAL SAMANTA

NEW DELHI, JULY 15 Given that some Sikh militant organisations trace their support to the non-resident Sikh population, India has conveyed to Britain its concerns over outfits like Babbar Khalsa International — which made its presence felt through Delhi blasts — becoming active again.

Sources said the Indian High Commission in London took up the issue with the British authorities last week.

New Delhi also shared its assessment of the revival of these outfits at the meeting of the Indo-UK joint working group on June 27-29. Sources say India’s main concern is the funding of these organisations, an area where London can help.

Britain had banned Babbar Khalsa International and the Indian Sikh Youth Federation after 9/11 along with 20 other outfits. While Delhi welcomed this, it does not rule out the possibility of their receiving funds through a network of Sikh outfits in Europe.

India has also been exchanging notes with the EU as Germany is considered a major base of the Babbar Khalsa. Satnam Singh, a key Babbar, is believed to be residing there.

He is also supposed to be in touch with Jagtar Singh Hawara, arrested after the blasts in Delhi and an accused in the assassination of Punjab chief minister Beant Singh. The police say those arrested in connection with the blasts in Satyam and Liberty cinemas in Delhi had made se eral calls to Germany.

Hawara had escaped from Burail jail in January last year and had since been involved in reviving the Babbar Khalsa. India has shared information about him and his links in Europe with Britain and the EU.

URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=74529