# Sikh Extremism On The Rise In Canada, Says Terrorism Expert



## spnadmin (Apr 29, 2010)

*Admin Note*: 

Sangat ji

I have posted this article in Hard Talk, rather than in Current Issues which might be a better place. However, Hard Talk is intended to be a place where frank expressions and opinions can be vetted without significant moderation. That means that members should feel free to state their case *within SPN guidelines of etiquette* but without the concern that an unpopular stand will lead to their being banned, or that they will be tarred and blackened by those with opposing points of view.

In my own opinion the article below deserves evaluation. There are some major challenges that can be raised against assumptions and claims that it makes. On the other hand, it conveys a message that has been reported again and again. A significant number of journalists and politicians seem to subscribe to this view.

What do you believe is correct in this report? Or do you have objections? Let's hear what you have to say. A "security expert" has been quoted many times. What is your take on his analysis? You may also want to read this article side by side with this one, http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/hard-...rance-on-separatism-the-hindu.html#post125740
                                                           New Exert*:

Sikh Extremism on the Rise in Canada, Says Terrorism Expert*

Epoch Times - Sikh Extremism on the Rise in Canada, Says Terrorism Expert

A terrorism expert says Facebook threats directed at Liberal MP Ujjal   Dosanjh come as no surprise because both the nature and number of   threats by Sikh extremists is increasing in Canada. 

 “We are  facing a more sophisticated series of groups determined to  undermine  the institutions of the Government of Canada while advancing  their own  cause and doing extensive fundraising at the same time,” says  Tom  Quiggin, a senior researcher with the Canadian Centre of  Intelligence  and Security Studies at Carleton University. 

 Quiggin, a court  expert on terrorism and intelligence sourcing, says  that while Sikh  extremism died down after the 1985 Air India bombing  that killed 329  people, most of them Canadian, it has gained momentum in  recent years.

 A Facebook group called “Ujjal Dosanjh is a Sikh Traitor” said the   former B.C. premier is a “rat in our midst” and threatened to “pierce   him with bullets.” One posting urged, “Someone shoot him ASAP.” 

 The RCMP is investigating.

 The threats appeared days after a  Sikh parade in the Vancouver suburb of  Surrey on April 18 which  included a float displaying images of the  leaders of banned terrorist  organizations—something Dosanjh had  criticized.

 Controversy  around the parade heightened when Dosanjh, an outspoken  opponent of  Sikh extremism, and provincial MLA Dave Hayer were told by  an organizer  that if they wanted to attend the event they would have to  bring their  own security.

 The veiled threat sparked outrage and Dosanjh  and Hayer—both Sikhs—along  with Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts lodged  complaints with the RCMP. B.C.  Premier Gordon Campbell and Liberal  Leader Michael Ignattieff boycotted  the event, said to be the largest  Vaisikhi celebration outside India.

 “The targeting of Mr.  Dosanjh is not accidental.  Besides being an  outspoken individual, he  is also a public figure,” Quiggin says.

 Dosanjh has been  threatened multiple times—always after speaking out  against extremism.  He was badly beaten in 1985 and has also had his  property attacked.

 Canadian Sikh journalist Tara Singh Hayer was crippled in a  vicious  attack and then later murdered in Vancouver in 1997 for  speaking out  against Sikh radicals. 

 “Those who organized his  murder have never been caught and still walk  freely amongst us.  They  are beyond the reach of the law,” Quiggin says,  adding that Canada has  not been very effective in curbing the activity  of extremist groups.

 The International Sikh Youth Federation is a banned terrorist   organization in Canada, yet continues to operate freely, he says. Others   such as Babbar Khalsa International, the Khalistan Commando Force, and   the Khalistan Zindabad Force remain active.

 “Up to the last  few years, Canada has done little to confront such  organizations,”  Quiggin says.

 Since the Facebook threats, Dosanjh has said that  the rise of extremism  can be blamed in part on political correctness  and Canada’s polite brand  of multiculturalism that tacitly allows it. 

 “I think what we are doing to this country is that this idea of   multiculturalism has been completely distorted, turned on its head to   essentially claim that anything anyone believes—no matter how ridiculous   and outrageous it might be—is okay and acceptable in the name of   diversity,” he told the Globe and Mail.

 The issue of growing  support by Canadian Sikhs for militants in Punjab  was raised when  Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Prime Minister  Stephen Harper  met at last month’s nuclear summit in Washington, D.C.

 Singh, a  Sikh, told Harper that India had “continuing concerns” over the   activities of terrorist organizations. Harper is taking the issue   seriously, according to the Globe.

 Quiggin says Ottawa needs to  develop a made-in-Canada solution to the  issue of foreign groups who  establish themselves in the country “with  the intent of undermining  Canadian values and using these organizations  to shape Canadian  policy.”

 He hopes this and related concerns will come up for  discussion when the  Air India report is released in June—the 25th  anniversary of the Air  India bombing.


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## spnadmin (Apr 29, 2010)

Here are some related threads recently posted at SPN


http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/30152-rise-extremism-rise-hysteria-canadian-sikhs.html

http://hinduism/23508-the-rise-of-hindu-extremism.html

http://sikh-news/18524-sikh-extremism-resurges-canada-feels-heat.html

http://sikh-news/15380-sikh-extremism-canada-mushroomed-very-quickly.html

http://sikh-news/15374-sikh-extremism-spread-fast-canada-express.html


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## Mai Harinder Kaur (Apr 29, 2010)

The term "extremist" bothers me.    Are such Sikhs as myself classified  as extremists?  I am Amritdhari and so, keshdhari and I think langar  should be eaten on the floor.  And I support the establishment of  Khalistan.  I think Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was a great Sikh  (although I do have some disagreements with him).  Most of the Sikhs I  know believe these things (although most aren't Amritdhari).

I am a Khalistani Sikh.  I do not generally carry an AK-47 and I rarely froth at the mouth.  I do passionately believe in the establishment of our country in our rightful homeland.  Most of these organisation that are labeled as terrorist are not terrorist, at all.  Their members are strong, dedicated Sikh sovereignists dedicated to the realisation of our homeland.  The GOI has done its work well in discrediting any proKhalistan group or activity as terrorist.    And SIKHS DID NOT BOMB THAT AIRPLANE!!!

As for Ujjal Dosanjh, I do not like him.  I do not like him even one little bit.  However, I do not believe that murder or threats of murder are the way to solve our problems.  That solution is both immoral and counterproductive, as it would be used by those who dislike - hate -  us - both politicians and reporters - to discredit our community.  Let us not play into their hands.  Let us look for non violent and less public  ways to handle our differences.

As for the float, this is OUR community and OUR parade.  We should have the right to honour whomever we wish amongst our people.  However, it might be necessary to back off a bit on this one.  A hard-hitting, graphic float about the Indian antiSikh actions of 1984 would make a point, I think.  A picture or two of a burning Sikh or a burnt Sikh might help the public to understand a bit about us.  A picture like this, blown up big might bring the reality of what we are talking about to the Canadian public.  
(See the picture attached.)  To see a larger, really gruesome image, copy/paste this in your browser box.

flickr.com/photos/maisometimes2/3932258527/sizes/o/in/set-72157622282516999/












Lastly, this Sikh-on-Sikh violence must stop!  Whoever wrote the Dasam Granth, whether Darshan Singh is guilty or innocent, who should govern the gurudwara - all of these are issues that will never be settled by injuring or killing each other.  We have worked long and hard to build a vision of Sikhs as a law-biding, peaceful community whose initiated members could be trusted with our articles of faith, most notably the kirpan.  I see all that hard work lying in ashes around us, all the good-will we had built up evaporated into the air.  And, what really hurts, is that I cannot say that this is undeserved.  Certain members of our community have acted like savages.  They must feel the full weight of Canadian law.

Now that all that is said, the obvious question is who is targeting us now - and why. Perhaps I can write more about this later.


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## ballym (Apr 29, 2010)

LOOK WITHIN.
 Solution to any problem/ dilemma/trouble lies within you.
Ideally I would stop writing beyond this but words coming from Mai Ji were a little surprising.

1. Eye for an eye is not a solution.
2. Accepting others as your rulers is not the alternative either.... so what should we do?
3. Solution can not be found in switch on/off way. Either this or that.No. Solution options need not be that restrictive. 
We may approach a solution in subtle/ gradual manner. khalistan is fine. It is good. 
*But how many agree to that?*  You need quantity here too.
For making it a reality.... once we lost chance in 1947 (or may be the offer was not clear and without conditions)...... First thing is to convince its future population about its need and benefits to them.
It is a tough task. Infact, toughest task. If we have people supporting the cause we have won half the battle or almost three quarter!
Continuous support of masses is the pillar of any successful bid.
4. Popular support can not be gained by force in today's world.People must be convinced about it. Best way is to link to to their wellbeing. Better wealth, better health, better future. these points must be emphasized.
5. Merely saying that we just need *quality and not quantity* is not going to work. *Infact it is SELFISH way of looking at the things*. Why do not you worry about people who are not following the religion fully to YOUR satisfaction?( Not directed to Mai.... general remark to puritans)
I remember Sushma Swaraj stated that India can not take care of people who leave India by illegal means and die during transit or face hardships in other countries.  One must be helping people who have faltered. DO not abandon them.
6. Mai ji may be anguished because of her more than first hand experiences. May be I would have written what she has if I had similar "experiences".
So Khalistan by these crude methods can not be achieved. It is going to harm the cause, like Jarnail singh bhindranwale did.
Are we any better than 1978 at present? No. Much worse, I guess. Respect , even if false, is gone. No money for Punjab. 
Loosing big picture view is a common mistake we do in many cases. 
7. 1984 was bad. But we can not bring that argument in Canada.
8. Langar on tables: Initially it looks blasphemous. But I can see logic now after_  I read a comment on dagger incident_ . A Canadian wrote that " these primitive people eating from floor must not be a part of Canada". Do not go after its intesity but understand what "whites" think of us. Many may be not that extreme but undercurrent is going to be negative. OK, we should not change according to others' wishes. But It is just a modification. our idea is to have *equality for all*. It does not say "floor for all".
9. Why should we have nagar kirtan showing gatka more prominently. To outsiders, it shows that what we care about is holy book, kirtan, forcing school kids to put up an apology of  band, use weapons and provide food alongside. these are main activities( I may have missed some). Where are our folk songs? Phulkari,small scale enterpreneurship,friendliness? 
10. FLOATS should be on these topics and not only khalistan  which just gets them some more donations.
11. Idea about *1984 pictures* is good if other people see it. A silent propaganda is more effective. Let us make one for next Nagar Kirtan. Let us do it ourselves and *give a proposal to deciding authrities*. I am sure nobody can say no to it. It may not be gruesome... but a distraught mother( there are so many). these kind of things will get you SOLID SUPPORT I talked about above.
12. Somehow remove lust of money. I have seen families in Toronto who give so much donations but such people are not many. I am not one of them because I do not have enough yet.  Hope to get a good job that pays me more than current. if I am living at present then excess amout I get can be divided... right idea? But most people find new expenses to account for increased disposable income.
13. About this targetting thing, I also feel that some vested interest may be involved in maligning sikhs but who stops us from keeping ourselves clean? Do not fall in the trap? 
LOOK WITHIN......


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## roab1 (May 1, 2010)

roab 1 ji, Forgive me I have reformatted some of this  post so that we have a clearer picture of who is saying what. Narayanjot Kaur

How 'honest' and 'credible' is this guy? I wont give him 1 cent. BTW he may support 'Khalistan' tommorrow if things were to turn around considering his past behaviour. 
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*Ujjal Dosanjh betrays principles with defection*

Source: Ujjal Dosanjh betrays principles with defection |  Vancouver, Canada | Straight.com

I became a member of the New Democratic Party because I read the history of this movement, I read the history of the struggles that we fought for, those that didn't have any rights. That was ethical....You know, I've been a member of this party since 1969....I'm committed to the party because of the principles that it has and those principles go way back.

-- Ujjal Dosanjh, CBC Radio, February 17, 2000

Principles? Ethics? Commitment? The April 1 announcement of former NDP premier Ujjal Dosanjh's instant candidacy for the Paul Martin federal Liberals is about none of the above.

No, it's about Dosanjh selling out his principles for power. It's a desperate attempt to become a cabinet minister in a scandal-ridden government that will say and do anything to stay in office.

Dosanjh has thrown away 35 years of dedication to social democracy to run for the most right-wing leader the federal Liberals have ever had.

As finance minister, Paul Martin radically chopped federal financing for provincial services, leading to the current national health-care-funding crisis. The cuts of the 1990s created huge problems for the B.C. government Dosanjh served in, as the province lost at least $2.5 billion in health and social-program funding. But what the hell, as long as there's a cabinet seat available for Ujjal.

For me and lots of others, this is a personal as well as a political betrayal. I've known Ujjal Dosanjh for many years. I served on the provincial NDP executive with him, worked with him when he was an MLA and cabinet minister, and joined his NDP leadership campaign after Joy MacPhail did the same.

I have been to Dosanjh's house for meetings, advised him on strategy to gain labour support during his leadership bid, and attended the February 2000 NDP leadership convention as a Dosanjh delegate.

My experience working for and believing in Dosanjh can be mirrored in the efforts of thousands of others, from his NDP cabinet and caucus colleagues to supporters who knocked on doors for the beleaguered premier before he was defeated in his home riding of Vancouver-Kensington on May 16, 2001. So it was with profound disappointment that I learned Dosanjh would betray his principles, and for such a low price.

Low because the odds are strongly against Dosanjh even winning in Vancouver South, the federal riding where he has been undemocratically appointed as the candidate for a Liberal party currently polling at least five percent below 2000 election results.

In that 2000 federal election, the combined votes for the now-merged Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative parties in the riding--then called Vancouver South Burnaby--would have been enough to beat incumbent Liberal MP and then*cabinet minister Herb Dhaliwal, 18,033 against 17,705.

The newly redistributed boundaries of the riding take away its blue-collar Burnaby segment and shift the borders west and north, increasing the chances of victory for Dosanjh's Conservative opponent, dentist Victor Soo Chan. And in the past, Conservative John Fraser represented the riding for 20 years.

Dosanjh's likely fate is to join the list of turncoat ex NDP members who have succumbed to the siren call of the federal Liberal party only to go down to discredited defeat.

Former provincial cabinet minister Bill Barlee, Burnaby city councillor Lee Rankin, North Vancouver city councillor Bill Bell, and former NDP MP Lyle MacWilliam have all tried changing their political stripes and running as federal Liberal candidates. All were soundly rejected by voters.

Former NDP strategist Brad Zubyk, who was campaign manager for MLA Corky Evans's two unsuccessful bids for the provincial leadership, also crossed over to work with the federal Liberals in the 2000 election, to no great effect. Unlike the others, Zubyk returned to the provincial party, heading NDP leadership candidate Nils Jensen's 2003 campaign.

Political turncoats never have an easy time: they are despised by those friends left in the party they abandon and regarded with suspicion by their new colleagues.

Dosanjh previously turned down requests from federal NDP leader Jack Layton to run for the party, telling Layton he wasn't interested in running federally. He has disingenuously claimed in recent media interviews that in the past he would have run as a Liberal had he been inclined to be a member of Parliament, saying the NDP did not represent his federal views.

But as late as 2001, Dosanjh was making significant contributions to the federal New Democratic Party. In 2000 and 2001, Dosanjh donated $550 each year to the federal party, according to Elections Canada records.

"In my household, politics has always been a noble thing. Power per se doesn't excite me," Dosanjh told Maclean's magazine in November 1999.

What Dosanjh has now done for a shot at power is far from noble.

Let's be clear: I have friends who are federal and provincial Liberals, Conservatives, Greens, and Unity supporters, as well as those who support the NDP and who are nonaligned. We disagree on policies but we respect each other's integrity and commitment to different philosophies and political parties. What we don't respect is the opportunism that comes when people switch parties just before an election.

Public service is still a noble calling, and there are many politicians in all parties who have principles I admire. But Ujjal Dosanjh is no longer one of them.


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## ugsbay (May 1, 2010)

Mai Harinder Kaur Ji, excellent post, i get the feeling that sikhs get called extremist at the smallest incident sometimes, i mean those fights at the temples were appalling but when i look at the news articles relating those, they somehow get translated into extremism. It seems to me that we cannot even express our sorrow and demand some justice for 84 without being labelled with extremism. That is why it is so important that Sikhs no matter where in the world should behave in a civil manner no matter whatever the issues. The more silly incidents we see the more the media and politics say look i told you they are troublemakers. They will quickly tarnish our whole nation on the actions of a very few.


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