British Columbia Premier urges terrorist label for Lawrence Bishnoi Gang
British Columbia Premier David Eby has asked the Canadian government to take action against the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, saying he wants the India-based gang declared a terrorist organisation in Canada. Eby stated that the initiative is intended to provide law enforcement with stronger tools to tackle the gang's expanding extortion operations.The premier said the Lawrence Bishnoi gang had been linked to extortions and other crimes against South Asian community members in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario, according to The Canadian Press.advertisementHe said on Tuesday that he plans to send a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney, requesting that the gang be officially designated as a terrorist organisation to enable police to be able to use the necessary tools to investigate.
He sought action against the gang following a public safety forum which was held over the weekend in Surrey to address crimes being faced by South Asian businesses."This is a serious step. 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," CTV News quoted Eby as saying.Eby noted that these extortion threats – which have been accompanied by shootings and arsons in some cases – are occurring in cities across the country, including Edmonton and Brampton, CTV News reported.advertisementThe Lawrence Bishnoi gang, named after its jailed gangster in India, has been linked to a series of high-profile criminal cases, including extortion threats to Indian celebrities and businessmen, with alleged overseas operatives playing a key role, according to a report in PTI.Punjab-based gangster Bishnoi is presently incarcerated at Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad.EXISTING LAWS NOT ENOUGH TO DEAL WITH LAWRENCE BISHNOI GANG: EBYEby pointed out that while an RCMP task force is already active in addressing the extortion threats, conventional policing methods might not be adequate to tackle the issue effectively."They need additional tools to respond to the fact that this is transnational organised crime. This is more in the nature of terrorism than it is traditional crime," he said.Eby mentioned that the federal government had previously implemented comparable measures against a Mexican drug cartel."We don't make this recommendation lightly, but this activity strikes at public confidence in the justice system, in our democracy," he added.In December 2023, police in Abbotsford, British Columbia, said they were investigating extortions targeting affluent members of the South Asian community and the crimes had ties to the Bishnoi gang, The Canadian Press reported.Trending Reel
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
10 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
US President Trump hosts Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir
US President Donald Trump hosted Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir at the White House on Wednesday in a rare meeting, just weeks after a four-day military conflict between India and Pakistan. The private luncheon was held as tensions continued to rise between Israel and Iran, with Trump reportedly weighing possible U.S. involvement. Pakistan's close ties with Tehran added further significance to the timing of the meeting. According to Geo News, Munir had lunch with Trump at the White House, although details of their discussion have not been made public. The Pakistan military leader now holds the title of "Field Marshal." It is unusual for a US president to host a foreign army chief for a White House lunch. While past Pakistani military leaders such as Ayub Khan, Zia ul-Haq, and Pervez Musharraf have received such invitations, they were also serving as presidents of the country at the time. Trump had returned to Washington early Tuesday morning, cutting short his trip to the G7 Leaders' Summit in Kananaskis, Canada, due to the escalating crisis in the Middle East. An official advisory had announced that Trump would host the Pakistani Army Chief for lunch in the Cabinet Room at 1 pm. The meeting also comes against the backdrop of heightened India-Pakistan tensions, following the Pahalgam terror attack. In response, India conducted precision airstrikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7. During Tuesday phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Trump asked if Modi could make a stopover in the US on his way back from Canada. However, Modi declined the request due to 'pre-scheduled engagements,' according to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. In the same conversation, Modi informed Trump that the recent cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan was achieved through direct communication between their respective militaries and not through any US mediation. Misri said Modi clearly stated that India does not and will 'never accept' third-party mediation, adding that the dialogue between Indian and Pakistani military officials was initiated at Pakistan's request. Modi's remarks come in response to Trump's repeated claims that he played a key role in brokering a ceasefire between the two nations. Meanwhile, Dawn newspaper reported that the White House invitation extended to Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir is being portrayed by Pakistani officials as a significant diplomatic achievement. India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan-controlled areas. This led to four days of intense clashes, ending on May 10 after military commanders from both countries agreed to halt operations. India maintains that its forceful response compelled Pakistan to seek an end to the fighting. Last month, Munir was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal—the first such elevation since Ayub Khan in 1959. Speaking to the Pakistani-American community in Washington on Monday evening, Munir urged India to deal with Pakistan 'as a civilised nation' instead of trying to assert 'regional hegemony,' according to Dawn. He also denied any Pakistani role in the Pahalgam attack and accused India of attempting to create a 'new normal' by 'violating international borders,' a stance he said Pakistan has 'forcefully rejected.' The four-day exchange of fire between India and Pakistan that followed the Pahalgam strike ended after direct talks between the directors general of military operations on May 10. Munir's address at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington's Georgetown area reportedly drew some attention, but was met with protests by members of the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, who demanded democratic reforms and the release of their jailed leaders. He also addressed the wider regional context, affirming Pakistan's strong backing of Iran in its war with Israel while simultaneously supporting U.S.-led efforts to reduce tensions. 'We want this war to end immediately,' Munir said. According to Dawn, a key outcome of Munir's U.S. visit has been the deepening of Pakistan's counterterrorism cooperation with Washington, particularly in combating the Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) group.
Time of India
18 minutes ago
- Time of India
BC premier says he'll write to Canadian PM to seek terrorist tag for Lawrence Bishnoi gang
Chandigarh: Taking note of the rising extortion threats being issued to business owners in some Canadian provinces, British Columbia premier David Eby on Tuesday announced that he would write to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to list the Lawrence Bishnoi gang as a terrorist organisation in Canada. "My colleague, Garry Begg, (British Columbia), minister for public safety, participated in yet another community meeting about the issue of extortion in Surrey. This is an issue of huge concern in the community there, particularly among South Asians. It's an issue of concern in Alberta and Ontario as well," Eby said. The BC premier, who shared the one-minute 20-second video on X, said, "There are allegations that gangs in India are operating here in our and other provinces to intimidate and extort business owners. I will be writing to the Prime Minister to ask that one of the gangs that is self-identified as being involved in some of these activities, the Lawrence Bishnoi group, be listed as a terrorist organisation in Canada. This will enable police to use the necessary tools to investigate and bring this activity to an end, not just in our province, but also in Alberta and Ontario. The RCMP can work with the federal govt to identify any other groups involved in this alleged activity." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like What She Did Mid-Air Left Passengers Speechless medalmerit Learn More Undo On Sunday, a business owner in Surrey, BC, Satish Kumar organised a public safety forum highlighting increasing threats of extortion and violence against South Asian community members in Canada. Satish's business facilities were targeted thrice in the recent past. The businessman alleged that he received extortion threats where 2 million dollars were being demanded from him. As per reports in Canadian media quoting Surrey police, there were 10 reports of extortion threats to businesses and members of the South Asian community in the past six month.
United News of India
29 minutes ago
- United News of India
PM Modi holds productive talks with Croatian PM Plenkovic in Zagreb; also meets President Milanovic
Zagreb (Croatia), June 18 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi held productive talks with his Croatian counterpart Andrej Plenkovic in Zagreb today, with the two sides agreeing to work closely in the fields of defence and security, pharma, renewable energy, and IT. Later, PM Modi called on President Zoran Milanovic. He also took a walk, accompanied by the Croatian PM, of the city square. PM Modi is the first ever Indian PM to visit Croatia. PM Modi said in posts on X: 'Held productive talks with my friend, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković in Zagreb. Our talks covered many sectors, aimed at making the India-Croatia bond even stronger. We will be working closely in the fields of defence and security, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, IT, renewable energy, technology and more. Synergies in areas like semiconductors, shipbuilding, connectivity and more will also be greatly beneficial.' The MEA spokesperson said: 'A new chapter in the India-Croatia relationship. 'PM @narendramodi held productive discussions with PM @AndrejPlenkovic in Zagreb, Croatia. 'The two leaders reviewed the full spectrum of India-Croatia bilateral relations & explored avenues to deepen collaboration in sectors like digital technologies, space, renewable energy, defence, maritime infrastructure, tourism and hospitality, amongst others. 'PM thanked Croatia for its steadfast support to India in fighting cross-border terrorism. The leaders also called for further deepening India-EU strategic ties.' A readout said, it is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Croatia and therefore, a historic milestone in India-Croatia ties. On arrival at the historic Banski Dvori palace, Prime Minister was received by Prime Minister Plenkovic and accorded a ceremonial welcome. Earlier in the day, in a special and warm gesture, Prime Minister was welcomed by Prime Minister Plenkovic when he arrived at the airport in Zagreb. The two leaders held delegation level talks. They engaged in wide-ranging discussions on various aspects of the bilateral partnership, including trade and investment, science and technology, defense and security, space, cultural cooperation, and people-to-people ties. The two leaders agreed that there were significant opportunities for increased cooperation in sectors such as infrastructure, ports and shipping, digitalization, AI, renewable energy, Pharma and tourism and hospitality. They noted that popularity of Indian culture, Indology and Yoga in Croatia have brought the people of the two countries closer. Prime Minister conveyed wishes for the celebration of the upcoming International Yoga Day on June 21 to all yoga enthusiasts in Croatia. The leaders noted the recent initiatives at building start-up and innovation partnerships. They recognized the need to encourage greater business-to-business collaboration and facilitate investment partnerships and joint ventures to drive inclusive and sustainable growth in both countries. Towards this objective, Prime Minister Modi suggested that Croatia could leverage India's skilled talent and called for setting up institutional collaboration in the field of mobility. They agreed on the importance of improving connectivity, including through the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor [IMEC]. Croatia can serve as India's gateway into Central and Southeastern Europe. The leaders also discussed important regional and global issues of mutual interest. They exchanged views on reform of the United Nations and other international institutions, climate change action and threats posed by terrorism. Prime Minister thanked Prime Minister Plenkovic for the strong support and solidarity extended by Croatia to India in its fight against terrorism. The two leaders expressed satisfaction at the deepening of India-EU strategic ties and conveyed their support for early conclusion of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement. Following the talks, four MOUs in the fields of agriculture, science & technology and culture, and on renewal of a Hindi Chair were signed. A Joint Statement was issued on the occasion. Prime Minister Plenkovic hosted a dinner in honour of Prime Minister Modi. Prime Minister Modi invited Prime Minister Plenkovic to visit India at a mutually convenient time. On the meeting with the President of Croatia, the MEA spokesperson said in a post on X: 'India-Croatia| Laying the foundation for a renewed partnership. 'PM @narendramodi held fruitful talks with President Mr. Zoran Milanović in Zagreb, Croatia. 'The leaders reiterated their commitment to further strengthening India-Croatia ties across trade, technology & cultural cooperation and expressed their shared commitment to democratic values & global peace.' UNI RN
