The North News
Chandigarh, June 19
Canada’s top intelligence agency has, for the first time, formally acknowledged that its territory is being used by Khalistani extremists to orchestrate and fund violent activities in India. In a newly released report, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) said politically motivated violent extremism (PMVE) continues to pose a significant national security threat, with Canada-based Khalistani extremists (CBKEs) engaging in the planning, financing and facilitation of attacks abroad, especially in India.
“The PMVE threat in Canada has, since the mid-1980s, largely manifested through CBKEs seeking to create Khalistan through violent means,” the report stated. While acknowledging that some Canadians engage in peaceful advocacy for an independent Khalistan, CSIS drew a sharp line between non-violent activism and extremist behaviour. “Only a small group of individuals are considered extremists, as they continue to promote, raise funds for, or plan violence primarily targeting India,” the agency added.
Though there were no reported CBKE-related attacks on Canadian soil in 2024, the report warned that the ongoing activities of Khalistani extremists based in Canada continued to fuel diplomatic tension and national security concerns.
CSIS further noted that the perception of extremist activity from Canadian soil is a driver of India’s alleged foreign interference efforts in Canada—a source of growing strain in the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
In addition to its assessment of the Khalistani threat, CSIS said it was actively monitoring emerging global extremist networks. It highlighted the Canadian government’s terrorist listings in 2024, including the designation of Samidoun—the Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network—as a terrorist entity due to its links to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
The report also confirmed the terrorist designation of Yemen’s Ansarallah, also known as the Houthis, who have carried out numerous attacks on maritime vessels in the Red Sea over the past year. CSIS tied the group to Iran’s IRGC-Qods Force and Hezbollah, both already listed as terrorist entities under Canadian law.x
