An Indian-American man has been arrested by the FBI on charges of providing material support to Sikh separatist groups in India planning terrorist attacks.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Wednesday arrested Balwinder Singh, 39, of Reno on charges of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, conspiracy to murder or otherwise harm persons in a foreign country and other lesser counts involving immigration records. Singh, aka Jhajj, aka Happy, Possi, Baljit Singh, is allegedly linked to two terrorist organisations -- Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF).
He is scheduled to appear before a US Magistrate Judge on December 20 for an initial appearance and arraignment. Singh, a citizen of India who fled to the US and claimed asylum, is now a permanent US resident.
He has been charged in an indictment with one count of conspiracy to murder, kidnap, and maim persons in a foreign country, one count of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, one count of making a false statement on an immigration document, two counts of use of an immigration document procured by fraud, and one count of unlawful production of an identification document.
If convicted, Singh faces up to life in prison and fines of up to USD 250,000 on each count. In the indictment, the FBI alleged that the object of the conspiracy was to advance the goals of BKI and KZF by raising money and obtaining weapons to support acts of terrorism in India.
It is alleged that the conspiracy began around November 30, 1997 after which Singh used a false identity and obtained false identification documents in the United States so that he could travel back to India without being apprehended by the Indian authorities.
The indictment alleged that Singh communicated with other co-conspirators by telephone while he was in the US to discuss acts of terrorism to be carried out in India. Singh, the indictment alleged, sent money to co-conspirators in India for the purchase of weapons that would be provided to members of the BKI and KZF to support acts of terrorism in India.
It is alleged that Singh travelled from the United States to Pakistan, India, and other countries to meet with co-conspirators to assist in the planning of terrorism in India, and that Singh provided advice to co-conspirators about how to carry out acts of terrorism.
"After an extensive investigation, the FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) of Northern Nevada has disrupted an individual's involvement in facilitation activities in support of a foreign terrorist organisation, targeting an ally of the United States," said FBI Special Agent in-charge laura Bucheit.
"We will continue to work with our international partners to prevent acts of terrorism on US soil or, as in this case, on that of an ally. This investigation demonstrates the importance of law enforcement coordination and collaboration here and around the world," the FBI official said.
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