The Khalistani extremist movement has increasingly come under scrutiny for its growing influence and potential threat to national security in the United States and Canada. Prominent voices in policy analysis and national security are raising alarms about the movement’s expansion and the implications for both countries.
Michael Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum, has been at the forefront of these concerns. In his recent editorial titled “Khalistani Extremism: A Growing Threat in the US and Canada,” published in the National Security Journal, Rubin emphasized that the activities of Khalistani elements cannot be dismissed as mere fringe activities.
Michael Rubin is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and previously worked as an officer at the Pentagon. He doesn't mince words when it comes to how Trudeau has dealt with the Khalistani separatist issue, comparing it to Pakistan's harbouring of Osama Bin Laden. pic.twitter.com/TAXsJCbAlc
— Alex Zoltan (@AmazingZoltan) October 16, 2024
“While Khalistani terrorism and gang violence have made headlines in Canada, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accusing India—apparently without substantial evidence—of assassinating a Sikh extremist and wanted terrorist on Canadian soil, Khalistani extremism has become an escalating problem in America,” Rubin wrote. He highlighted how activists are leveraging false asylum claims and chain immigration to establish significant communities in major U.S. cities like California and New York.
Rubin drew parallels to other high-profile acts of terrorism, noting, “Americans remember with outrage Iranian students seizing the U.S. embassy in Tehran or Libyan militants attacking the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, but few realize that Khalistani militants have twice attacked India’s consulate in San Francisco. Similarly, while Islamist attacks on American synagogues are rightly described as hate crimes, there is a troubling silence when Khalistani extremists vandalize Hindu temples from Melville, New York to Sacramento, California.”
Beyond acts of violence, Rubin warned that Khalistani activists are infiltrating local institutions, fostering a culture of violence among younger generations. “The White House and State Department cannot control the absurdity of some college campuses, but they need not fall into the same trap. Not every cause has legitimacy, but the embrace of some promises more violence. As Khalistani activists expand through Canada and the United States, they hijack local institutions and acculturate a new generation to violence,” he asserted.
Rubin also drew historical comparisons, cautioning against underestimating the movement’s potential impact. “Three decades ago, counter-terror analysts laughed off the concept of Al Qaeda to America’s peril. Today, the same is happening with the Khalistan movement. Khalistani militant organizations lob the same accusations of religious bias against those who would call out Sikh militancy, much like the Muslim Brotherhood-run organizations labeled criticism of Islamic extremism as ‘Islamophobic.'”
The tensions between Canada and India have further intensified following allegations made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Trudeau claimed to have “credible allegations” implicating India in the assassination of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed in Surrey, British Columbia, in June last year. These accusations have been met with strong rebuttals from India, which has vehemently denied any involvement.
The former Pentagon official, speaking to ANI, criticized Trudeau’s stance, stating, “Prime Minister Trudeau has made allegations in a manner which he hasn’t been able to back. Either he was shooting from the hip and he doesn’t have the evidence to support the accusations he made against the government. There is something there, in which case he needs to explain why this government was sheltering a terrorist.”
The diplomatic fallout has been significant. India responded by expelling six Canadian diplomats, labeling Canada’s claims as “preposterous imputations” and part of Trudeau’s political agenda. This move followed Canada’s expulsion of six Indian diplomats accused of being involved in a “campaign of violence.” In a stern statement, India accused Trudeau’s government of providing space to violent extremists and terrorists to “harass, threaten and intimidate Indian diplomats and community leaders in Canada.”
As the situation unfolds, experts like Rubin caution that the United States and Canada must not become complacent. “Extremism in any form and deriving from any religion can pose a danger, but Khalistani extremism, with its Pakistani backing, poses a grave and growing threat. Many Americans may never have heard of Khalistan, but American permissiveness to its militants increasingly could cost American lives,” Rubin warned.
The evolving dynamics between India, Canada, and the United States underscore the complex interplay of international relations, national security, and domestic policies on immigration and extremism. As authorities grapple with these challenges, the need for informed and decisive action becomes increasingly imperative to safeguard national interests and maintain stability.
