US No Longer Considers Khalistani Groups 'Protesters', FBI Action Likely on San Francisco Consulate Attack

Khalistani groups in the US will no longer be characterised as ‘protesters’ and the recent attacks on Indian missions, including the latest incident in which sympathisers tried to set the Indian consulate in San Francisco on fire, will fall under the ambit of criminality.

The FBI is reportedly planning action as per criminal laws against such groups and has named the persons it seeks to target. In the past, activities of such pro-Khalistan groups have been explained away by the US as freedom of expression.

“The Government of India and intelligence agencies are following up with counterparts in US government and FBI. In India, too, we are going to file a case regarding the attack and it will be investigated by a federal agency,” an official said.

Tuesday’s attack is the second such act of violence against an Indian mission within months, drawing strong condemnation from the US government which termed it a “criminal offence”.

A video by Khalistan supporters, dated July 2 posted on Twitter, showed the act of arson at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco.

The video, with the words “violence begets violence” emblazoned over it, also showed news articles related to the death of Canada-based Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Nijjar, one of India’s most-wanted terrorists who carried a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Canada last month.

Responding to the incident, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller in a tweet on Monday said: “The US strongly condemns the reported vandalism and attempted arson against the Indian Consulate in San Francisco on Saturday. Vandalism or violence against diplomatic facilities or foreign diplomats in the US is a criminal offence.”

On March 19, a group of pro-Khalistan protesters attacked and damaged the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. Raising pro-Khalistan slogans, the protesters broke open the makeshift security barriers raised by the city police and installed two so-called Khalistani flags inside the Consulate premises. Two consulate personnel soon removed these flags.