Hardeep Singh Nijjar killing row updates: Trudeau defends allegations

Canadian journalists have been asking Trudeau to provide evidence to back his allegations of the involvement of Indian government agents in the killing of Nijjar.

The editorial board of the Globe and Mail – one of Canada’s major newspapers – called for the “full truth” in the case to be made public.

“Canadians (including the opposition parties) remain in the dark about what Ottawa believes led to Mr. Nijjar’s murder, beyond the supposition that his slaying is connected to his activities in support of the Khalistan separatism movement that is vehemently opposed by the Indian government,” it said.

Michael Higgins, a columnist for the right-wing National Post, also argued that the prime minister “must present a convincing and factual case” to Canadians.

“The usual rhetoric about confidential security reports and active investigations preventing any disclosure must be abandoned. Canadians need and deserve answers,” Higgins wrote.

Derek Grossman, a US-based defence analyst, has criticised India’s decision to suspend visa services for Canadians, saying that a “responsible power would have taken no further action and sought diplomatic negotiations”.

“I know this plays well domestically in India, but the world is watching too,” he wrote in a social media post.

India just escalated tensions by suspending visa services in Canada. A responsible power would have taken no further action and sought diplomatic negotiations when/if possible. I know this plays well domestically in India, but the world is watching too.https://t.co/MYFIhfuVKm

— Derek J. Grossman (@DerekJGrossman) September 21, 2023

While India’s possible involvement in the killing of Nijjar in Canada would represent a violation of international law, the case is unlikely to make its way to international court, according to international law professor Marko Milanovic.

He said a “very small fraction of international disputes” are heard in a courtroom.

“Now theoretically, the International Court of Justice – which is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations – can hear any case on any topic, including whether a state assassinated an individual,” Milanovic told Al Jazeera.

“However, both Canada and India made declarations … saying that the court will not have jurisdiction regarding disputes between Commonwealth member nations.”

Stephen Brown, head of the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), has said that Muslim communities in Canada are both outraged and concerned by the killing of Nijjar.

“It was widely known that there are agents of the Indian government that were operating in Canada and targeting members of the diaspora community,” Brown told Al Jazeera.

“But going to the point where somebody would be assassinated right outside of a place of worship in broad daylight, the purpose of doing that is to send a message.”

He added that Canadian Muslims want the Canadian government to “take action” to guarantee their safety.

“I would say there’s outrage, but there’s also real concern that currently they’re not safe,” Brown said.

Trudeau has addressed the latest developments in Canada’s dispute with India, calling on New Delhi to cooperate with Ottawa in investigating the killing of Nijjar.

Read the key takeaways from his remarks here.

Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the progressive New Democratic Party (NDP), who is of Sikh descent, has pledged to seek justice for the killing of Nijjar.

“The allegations that a Canadian citizen was killed on Canadian soil sent a shock across the country,” Singh said in an Instagram post.

“Right now, many Canadians who have received threats are scared. I want you to know, I am with you – and I will do everything in my power to demand justice.”

The information that emerges in the coming days – in both official and unofficial channels – will be indicative of how far Canada is hoping to push the issue with India, says Marko Milanovic, a professor of public international law at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom.

Leaked or released evidence could help build support for Canada in the court of public opinion and signal whether Ottawa plans to seek recourse under international law, he added.

“If we get little to no further information about this, it will be reasonably clear that the Canadian government will just want to wait this out and to have the whole thing die a natural death,” Milanovic told Al Jazeera.

Sullivan, the US national security adviser, has stressed that there is no “wedge” between Washington and Ottawa over Canada’s dispute with India.

“I firmly reject the idea that there is a wedge between the US and Canada,” he said. “We have deep concerns about the allegations, and we would like to see this investigation carried forward and the perpetrators are held to account.”

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has said that Washington is in touch with Ottawa and New Delhi about the row.

“We support the efforts that they are undertaking in this investigation, and we have also been in touch with the Indian government as well,” he said.

Charles-Philippe David, a strategic and diplomatic studies professor at the University of Quebec in Montreal, has said Canada has been receiving warning signals for a “long time” about foreign interference on its territory.

The global context, “transformed in recent years and accelerated by Ukraine”, is forcing Canada to “choose camps and take tougher and firmer positions”, David told the AFP news agency.

But so far, the country has been in a state of “dormancy”, manifested in a lack of ambition, resources and leadership, he said. “We must treat international relations and foreign policy with much more seriousness than we have done for a long time.”

Trudeau has said that his government is not looking to “cause problems” with India, acknowledging New Delhi’s growing international influence as it forges stronger economic and security ties with the West.

“There is no question that India is a country of growing importance, and a country that we need to continue to work with – not just in the region but around the world,” the Canadian prime minister said.

“And we’re not looking to provoke or cause problems. But we are unequivocal around the importance of the rule of law and unequivocal about the importance of protecting Canadians and standing up for our values.”

Trudeau has dodged a question on whether he asked Canada’s allies to condemn India. Instead, he said Ottawa is defending the “rule of law”.

“We are ensuring that Canadians stay protected, and that we stand up for the international rules-based order. It’s something that we are doing, and it’s something we are doing alongside our allies,” the Canadian prime minister said.

Trudeau has sidestepped a question about whether Ottawa plans to suspend Canadian visa services in India after New Delhi announced such a move.

“We call upon the government of India to take seriously this matter and to work with us to shed full transparency and ensure accountability and justice in this matter,” the Canadian prime minister answered.

“We are going to continue to do the work necessary to keep Canadians safe and to uphold our values and the international rules-based order. That’s our focus right now.”

Trudeau has said Canada has a “rigorous and independent” justice system that will handle the allegations around the killing of Nijjar.

Asked about the quality of the evidence linking India to the murder, the prime minister reiterated that the allegations are “credible”.

“I can assure you that the decision to share these allegations on the floor of the House of Commons … was not done lightly,” Trudeau says.

“It was done with the utmost seriousness.”

Trudeau has stressed the seriousness of the allegations that India was involved in the killing of Nijjar, saying that the issue is of “foundational importance” for Canada.

“There are credible reasons to believe that agents of the government of India were involved in the killing of a Canadian on Canadian soil,” the prime minister told reporters.

“That is something of the utmost and foundational importance in a country of rule of law, in a world where [the] international rules-based order matters.”

Trudeau has said Canada is a country that seeks to “defend the rights of its citizens” and the rules of the international order.

“We will always do it in a responsible way – but in a firm way, too,” he told reporters.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called on India to work with Canada to investigate the allegations he raised.

“We call upon the government of India to work with us, to take seriously these allegations and to allow justice to follow its course,” Trudeau said during a news conference on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Several Canadian leaders have said that if Indian government agents are proven to be involved in the killing of Nijjar, it would be a flagrant violation of the country’s sovereignty.

In several ways, it would also be a violation of international law.

International law, including the United Nations Charter, prohibits unauthorised state activities in foreign nations. “The Organization is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all its Members,” the UN Charter reads.

Various statutes also underscore the illegality of extrajudicial killings. “Every human being has the inherent right to life. This right shall be protected by law. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life,” says the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Canada has yet to provide evidence to back up its allegations against India.

Michel Juneau-Katsuya, a national security expert and former officer with the Canadian intelligence agency, has said New Delhi believes Ottawa “is never doing enough” to tackle Sikh “extremism” in Canada.

Speaking to public broadcaster Radio-Canada, Juneau-Katsuya said the deadly Air India bombing – which was carried out by Sikh attackers in 1985 – really set off the tensions between Canada and India.

“For the Indian authorities, [Canada] is never doing enough,” he said, adding that because of that view, in the 1980s, India began sending covert agents to gather information on members of the Canadian Sikh community.

“You have to understand that we work in Canadian territory, with Canadian laws. If we have proof that is gathered here in Canada, we will move forward and make accusations in court against these individuals.”