"Very bad sign of things escalating in Canada, Carney's first major test on security": Canadian journalist on Kap's Cafe attack

Times of Oman

4 days ago

Vancouver: Canadian journalist Daniel Bordman called the attack on a cafe owned by comedian Kapil Sharma a "very bad sign of things escalating in Canada" and said that it is Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's first "major test on security."
In an interview with ANI, Bordman pointed out the recent attacks in Canada, including the targeting of temples by Khalistanis. He also talked on how terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International has claimed responsibility for it and called it imperative for Carney to set some deterrence so that there is decrease in crime in Canada.
When asked about shooting at Kap's Cafe in Surrey, he said, "It's a very bad sign of things escalating in Canada. I mean we have already seen a big uptick in extremist violence, especially post-October 7th. The Khalistanis have been going on for a few years as well. We've seen fire bombings of synagogues, shooting up of Jewish play schools. We've seen, of course, the attack on the mandir by the Khalistanis. But this is disturbing because it presents sort of a new type of escalation, because this is an attack on a cafe that opened a few days ago, owned by a famous Indian comedian. But what's interesting about this one is the Babbar Khalsa International, a listed terrorist organization in both countries...The Babbar Khalsa International infamously blew up the Air India 182. They're taking responsibility for it."
"So not only, I mean, it'd be one thing if this was sort of a random attack, whereas a wink, wink. This is like sort of a Khalistani extortion racket type thing and we have that going on. But this is another step up the ladder where it's an act of violence and intimidation, where they then post the media, the social media themselves post their crime online. They post their crime online and then they take responsibility for it. This is usually what you expect in Yemen or Pakistan or Somalia or other places in the Middle East where a terrorist attack happens and then a group enthusiastically wants to take credit for it because they're a terror organization and terror organizations usually are able to sort of live in lawless land. That's why again you see terrorist organizations pop up in Yemen and Somalia, places that are generally considered lawless and not I don't really have functioning governments But, This is Canada where we electorally do have a functioning government," he added.
Several gun shots rang outside Kap's Cafe, owned by comedian Kapil Sharma, in Canada's Surrey at 1:50 am (local time) on Thursday, according to Surrey Police Service. Police said some staff members were present inside the restaurant at the time of the shooting. No one was hurt in the incident. The cafe had opened a few days back.
He said that the response to the attack will show whether Canada under Mark Carney's leadership is any different to how the country was under former PM Justin Trudeau's government.
"This is a massive test to Mark Carney's leadership we saw the country get out of control under Justin Trudeau's tenure. This is Mark Carney's first major test on security and we will see if Mark Carney's Canada is in any way different than just in Trudeau's Canada. So, with British Columbia now waking up to this news, we will see over the next 12 hours or so just how the establishment responds to this terrorist attack," he said.
Bordman stated that extremist groups like Khalistani, Muslim Brotherhood offshoots, Hezbollah supporters are active in Canada and mentioned about the attacks on churches, synagogues. He expressed hope that there is an investigation into the attack and the people behind it are arrested.
On how he sees the attack as there have been such attacks in Surrey in the past as well, he responded, "I find this one interesting because it's the claiming credit and the public posting of it. That's what really sets us off from the other one. Yes, Surrey has seen violence. We've seen Khalistani intimidation. This is nothing new, but it's when they go up the ladder that presents a real problem because it then inspires other extremists. Because again, the Khalistanis aren't the only extremist group active in Canada. You have Muslim Brotherhood offshoots, you have Hezbollah supporters and again, there are churches are being attacked by mostly radical Marxists. Synagogues are being attacked. So, when one group goes up the escalation ladder, it usually moves the needle forward for all other groups if nothing's done about it. So, when this is now sort of a clock, we've climbed a ladder ...in Canada today. It is sort of imperative that Mark Carney make sure and set some deterrence that you do not go up the ladder, in which case you'll see a decrease in crime in Canada."
"But if this is sort of swept away and the RCMP and and Surrey police and and start staring at their feet and kicking rocks and the provincial government says this is a federal issue and the federal government says is provincial issue the provincial government says well It's local and the local says no, it's federal and the federal says no It's provincial right if you get into that cycle where everyone starts deferring responsibility, then you'll see a massive increase in violence you'll see because that's what a sort of a terrorist mentality is they always check to see what they can get away with. So if you say, you can get away with shooting up a restaurant in the middle of the posting about it, taking responsibility for it... well now you have people openly claiming responsibility for crimes posting on crimes and getting away with it. It's gonna set what's the next step, what's what's the next, well are they gone a shoot at a restaurant, when there are people actually inside of it, when its closed, what's the next level of terrorist intimidation they're gonna do," he added.
Expressing hope that there is an action taken against those behind the attack, he said, "Hopefully we don't figure it out, hopefully this is deterred, hopefully actually there is real consequences hopefully the people behind this are arrested or detained or deported or there's some visible consequences to institute deterrence. But, we will have to wait and see what Mark Carney does about this because he wants trade with india apparently he's invited Modi,... Khalistani terrorist threatening to kill everyone are actually threatened to kill everyone. So, this is the first major test of okay when it comes down to it. Like an open terrorist attack in Canada and extremist attack. They're posting about it. What will Mark Carney Police force justice system do about this and and and that will have to wait and see."
He spoke on how Canada's criminal justice system is different from what it is in the US, where trials are done more openly and people have access to all the stuff. He noted that Canada keeps everything under wraps and releases information only when the trial is completed.
On what action he expects from Carney's leadership on the attack, he said, "It is hard to know, because Canada in defence of Mark Carney or Justin Trudeau and....Canada is not like America in the criminal justice way. I mean, entire world tends to view itself through an American lens, and not just an American lens, the type of America that exists on television. So, American television shows, that's our sort of view of the justice system. But, Canada's very much not like that. So whereas the American system tends to do trials more openly, public has access to all this stuff. Canada's ... has always been to keep everything hush hush and completely under wraps, the trial is completed and then release information to the public all about that. So, don't expect any like big declarations and press conferences from the Canadian police just claiming they got their guy. But I do hope that something is done because again individuals did claim responsibility for this."So, in order to deter this, this you're going to need some sort of strong response to the RCMP and if they don't arrest everyone, there's going to have to be arrests made. I think within a few days, you're going to need to see arrests in order for there to be some deterrent."
"And in Canada, it's a very top-down system, cults of personalities. So, it ultimately does follow the Mar Carney, because we can pretend that there's a separation between the federal government and the judiciary. But the SNC-Lavalin scandal showed that that's absolutely not the case. This is a country where Mark Carney if he decides to enforce the law here the criminal will go to jail and if he decides to not enforce the law the criminal will not go to jail. So, it ultimately will fall. I mean Mark Carney Prime Minister, also premier David Eby of the NDP hardcore socialists. I don't expect them to do anything. But, they both have the power to enforce the law here Because again, that's kind of how Canada works. We pretend it isn't because it says so on paper, but that's absolutely not case in reality. It is interesting and I don't want to be too pessimistic," he added.
Daniel Bordman said that he would have expected no action from Trudeau-led government. However, he stated that they have not seen how Carney handles the incident, as he has been taking measures to repair Canada's ties with India and called it his "first major test."
"If Justin Trudeau was still prime minister, I'd say nothing would happen. That would be my bet. But we haven't seen how Mark Carney handles this and Mark Carney actually has been taking steps to repair the Canada-India relation and this is his first major test. So I would not be surprised if Mark Carney does something here, which is a positive development of Canadian politics," he stated.
Diplomatic tensions between the two nations flared up in 2023 after then Canadian PM Justin Trudeau alleged that his government had "credible allegations" of India's involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada in 2023. India had strongly denied the charges, calling them "absurd" and "politically motivated."
With Mark Carney now serving as Canada's PM, both countries appear to be taking steps to improve ties. According to Ministry of External Affairs, PM Narendra Modi and Carney had a "key meeting" at the G7 Summit where they discussed ways to restore and strengthen the bilateral relationship.
At least 10 bullet holes were visible in a window at Kap's Cafe on Thursday morning, while another window pane was broken. The building, where the cafe is located, has retail units at ground level and residential apartments above; however, it is not known how many residents live in the building. A multi-faith centre and two other businesses, which are yet to open, occupy other ground-level units.
Officers could be seen in the restaurant gathering evidence while children were playing across the street outside a daycare located in Newton neighbourhood that is now cordoned off by police tape, Vancouver Sun reported.
Surrey Police Service (SPS) said that the investigation is still in the very early stages and "and connections to other incident and potential motives are being examined." Police do not have a suspect description yet and the motive behind the shooting has not been determined, Vancouver Sun reported.