A recent investigative report by The Globe and Mail has unveiled disturbing allegations surrounding Mr. Dhaliwal, a Canadian permanent resident allegedly influenced by the slain Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Court documents reveal that Mr. Dhaliwal, upon his arrest in a small rural community, confessed to police that he had been dispatched by Nijjar to target "leaders of sects," with plans to procure "firearms and ammunition from Pakistan."
Extremist Ties and Alleged Targets
Sources close to Mr. Dhaliwal, who spoke to The Globe and Mail, confirmed his ardent support for Khalistan, a movement advocating for an independent Khalistan state in India.Described as both gullible and fanatical, Mr. Dhaliwal resided in his sister's Surrey home at the time of his apprehension. Notably, his sister had sponsored his permanent residency in Canada.
These sources further disclosed that Mr. Dhaliwal, maintaining a close relationship with Nijjar, was allegedly plotting attacks against leaders of Shiv Sena, a far-right Hindu sect affiliated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's political party. Shiv Sena leaders had been repeatedly targeted in Punjab during the same period.
Alleged Weapons Training and Extremist Rhetoric
One of the sources claimed to have participated in arms training with Mr. Dhaliwal in 2015, while another confidante was informed about the training details.According to these sources, a group of five orthodox Khalistani men in their 20s and 30s, led by Nijjar, underwent weapons and GPS training, secure communication practices, and target practice at three different locations in the Lower Mainland.
This training, spanning almost a year, did not resemble the "camps" often depicted in Indian media. They also clarified that a viral video of a Khalistani man firing an AK-47 in a British Columbia forest was unrelated to their activities.
The Globe and Mail obtained several recordings of Nijjar's sermons, which vividly illustrate his extremist views. In an August 2021 sermon, Nijjar openly advocated for armed violence against Indian adversaries, declaring, "We will have to take up arms. We will have to dance to the edges of swords."
He criticized Sikhs favoring peaceful activism and political means to achieve independence, stating, "Those who advocate peaceful methods, we need to leave them behind. What justice will we get this way?"
Nijjar's Extremist Legacy
Nijjar's incendiary language and rhetoric have long painted him as a dangerous enemy in the eyes of the Indian government.Although never convicted of any crimes, interviews with those who knew him indicate deep involvement in Khalistani extremism, including allegations of organizing weapons training in British Columbia and links to the Khalistan Tiger Force, a clandestine militant group.
