Declare Lawrence Bishnoi gang a terrorist group, says BC premier

Indian Express

4 hours ago

British Columbia Premier David Eby has called for urgent federal action against the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Days after the Indian community members held a public safety forum against extortion, Eby said he is writing to Prime Minister Mark Carney, asking him to formally designate it a terrorist organisation amid a surge in violent extortion cases linked to the group across multiple Canadian provinces.
'This is a serious step,' Eby said on Tuesday. 'It gives police significant investigative tools. We don't make this recommendation lightly, but this activity strikes at public confidence in the justice system, in our democracy and in the safety of the community, and it erodes public confidence in the rule of law.'
Eby said the gang's alleged operations extend across British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario, particularly targeting members of the South Asian community. Citing a pattern of transnational organised crime, he said that existing law enforcement powers may fall short, and a terrorist designation would allow police to use enhanced legal tools.
'They need additional tools to respond to the fact that this is transnational organised crime,' he said. 'This is more in the nature of terrorism than it is traditional crime. The community is terrified, and action needs to be taken.'
RCMP has formed a task force to investigate the extortion threats, which police say often involve demands for cash accompanied by threats of violence or death. There has also been a disturbing increase in shootings targeting South Asian-owned properties.
In Surrey, community members gathered over the weekend to voice their fears. Local police confirmed a rise in complaints involving threatening letters, calls, and social media messages. In the past six months alone, 10 cases of extortion have been reported in the city.
Several of those reports involve Satish Kumar, president of the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir and owner of Reflections Banquet Halls. He told police that after refusing to pay a $2 million extortion demand, he received death threats. On Saturday at 2:15 a.m., shots were fired at his accounting firm, Satish Satish Accounting Services. His former business, Hub Insurance, was shot at on June 10. Just days earlier, on June 7, his banquet hall was attacked. In that incident, bullets shattered a $23,000 window.
Abbotsford police had earlier confirmed that some extortion cases targeting wealthy South Asians in the region were linked to the Bishnoi network.
National Investigation Agency (NIA) has described Lawrence Bishnoi as running a 'terror syndicate' from Indian jails, with operations extending to Canada through local associates. The Bishnoi gang has been under increased scrutiny since the killing of singer Sidhu Moosewala in 2022, which was allegedly orchestrated by its members.
Eby pointed out that the federal government had previously added Mexican drug cartels to Canada's list of terrorist entities, an approach he believes is now warranted in this case.
However, B.C. Opposition public safety critic Elenore Sturko questioned the timing of Eby's announcement and expressed skepticism about the direct links to the Bishnoi gang. 'The police haven't come out and told my community that this gang is responsible for these incidents,' she told the Canadian Press. 'This is a very dramatic and headline-grabbing thing that the premier's done today, but I hope it doesn't distract from the fact that there are other issues at play here that need addressing.'
The federal list includes groups like ISIS and the Taliban, but also transnational criminal networks. The federal government's website says, 'one of the consequences of being listed is that the entity's property can be the subject of seizure/restraint and/or forfeiture. In addition, institutions such as banks, brokerages, etc., are subject to reporting requirements with respect to an entity's property and must not allow those entities to access the property.'