- Ottawa has, for the first time, admitted that Khalistani groups have been getting funds in Canada
- The admission is part of an assessment on money laundering and terrorist financing risks by Canada
- Extremist groups are capitalising on charitable funds to drug trafficking and auto thefts, it said
A Canadian report has raised red flags over terror financing linked to Khalistani terrorists in the country. While it has been an open secret that Canada provides a safe haven to Khalistani terror groups like the Babbar Khalsa, International Sikh Youth Federation, and Sikhs for Justice, Ottawa has, for the first time, admitted that these groups have been operating from Canadian soil and receiving financial support.
The admission is part of an assessment on money laundering and terrorist financing risks in Canada by its Finance department. The Khalistani groups "are suspected of raising funds in a number of countries, including Canada", it said.
The report also pointed to financial links between Canada and other listed terror groups like Hamas and Hezbollah under the Politically Motivated Violent Extremism (PMVE) category.
Read: Canadian Intel Agency Confirms Khalistani Extremists Operating On Its Soil
"Several terrorist entities listed under the Criminal Code in Canada that fall under the PMVE category, such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Khalistani violent extremist groups Babbar Khalsa International and the International Sikh Youth Federation, have been observed by law enforcement and intelligence agencies to receive financial support originating from Canada," the report said.
Extremist groups are capitalising on charitable funds to drug trafficking and auto thefts, the report said, noting that Canada remains a terror financing hub. It also pointed to the misuse of the non-profit sector by Khalistani terrorists and donations from expatriates.
"These groups previously had an extensive fundraising network in Canada but now appear to consist of smaller pockets of individuals with allegiance to the cause but seemingly no particular affiliation to a specific group," the report noted.
Read: "Avoiding Mention Of Khalistanis": Canadian MP Slams Politicians
It also flagged diverse funding methods for these groups, from crowdfunding and cryptocurrency. These terror groups use "diverse funding methods to sustain their operations, including the abuse of the MSB and banking sectors; use of cryptocurrencies; state financing; abuse of the charitable and NPO sector; and criminal activity," the report added.
Khalistani presence in Canada has been evident from videos, witness testimonies, and media reports, but there has been a clear lack of action over the years. Canada's former prime minister Justin Trudeau has been accused of remaining a mute spectator to the terror activities against India, and the focus is now on whether his successor Mark Cearney would undo this mistake.
