International Sikh Youth Federation Explained

International Sikh Youth Federation
Native Name:ਇੰਟਰਨੈਸ਼ਨਲ ਸਿੱਖ ਯੂਥ ਫੈਡਰੇਸ਼ਨ
Caption:Logo of the ISYF
Foundation:23 September 1984
Leader:Jasvir Singh Rode
Status:Active
Motives:The creation of a Sikh independent state of
Dates:1984 – present
Area:India
Country: India
Ideology:Sikh Sovereignty
Crimes:Assassinations, bombings and abductions
Financing:Sikh diaspora
Designated As Terror Group By: Canada
India
Japan
United States

The International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) is a proscribed organisation that aims to establish an independent homeland for the Sikhs called Khalistan.[1] It is banned as a terrorist organisation under Australian, Japanese,[2] Indian, Canadian and American[3] counter-terrorism legislation. The Government of India has declared it a terrorist organisation. While banned, the organization continues to receive financial support from many Sikh people based in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.[4]

Origin

International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) was formed on 23 September 1984 in Walsall, UK after the Operation Blue Star conducted by the Indian Military. It was founded by Bhai Jasbir Singh Rode, the nephew of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Its first conference was held in Walsall, UK.[5]

History and activities

In 1984, the All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) started the ISYF in the United Kingdom as an international branch.

The 1985 bombing of Air India Flight 182 off Ireland, the deadliest aircraft terror attack until the September 11, 2001 attacks, and the attempted bombing of Air India Flight 301, were allegedly carried out by Sikh extremists.Inderjit Singh Reyat, a dual British-Canadian citizen and member of the ISYF, was found guilty of manslaughter for making the bombs and had to spend more than 20 years imprisoned in Canada, and is the only individual convicted in these attacks as of 9 Feb 2009.[6] [7] [8]

ISYF members have engaged in terrorist attacks, assassinations, and bombings against both Indian figures and moderate Sikhs opposing them. The organisation has also collaborated and associated with other Sikh militant organisations, including Babbar Khalsa, the Khalistan Liberation Force, and Khalistan Commando Force.

Lord Bassam of Brighton, then Home Office minister, stated that ISYF members working from the UK had committed "assassinations, bombings and kidnappings" and were a "threat to national security." In 2001 it was proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the British government for its attacks.[9]

ISYF head Lakhbir Singh Rode was accused by a chargesheet for a bomb blast in a Ludhiana Court on December 23, 2021. It resulted in 1 death and 6 injuries.[10] [11]

Leadership

Jasbir Singh Rode was the nephew of Bhindranwale and member of fundamentalist Sikh organisation Damdami Taksal. After Operation Bluestar while in Pakistan Rode used the Sikh shrines at Pakistan to make anti-India speeches and provoked the audience to attack the Indian diplomats who were present.[12] Rode then arrived in the United Kingdom in August 1984.

On 23 September 1984 the formation of International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) was announced by Harpal Singh and Jasbir Singh Rode.[13] The group had a 51-member panel headed by Pargat Singh. But, by December 1984, Rode was expelled from the UK for publicly advocating violent methods in support of the Khalistan movement.[14]

Rode was arrested by Indian authorities in Manila while seeking asylum in a chase spanning Thailand and the Philippines. He was imprisoned for two years in India.[12] Upon his release, he moderated, now advocating pursuing constitutional changes within Indian framework.[14] This mode disappointed many of his followers and created a rift in the UK branches roughly along north/south lines: the northern branches known as ISYF (Rode) followed Rode's moderate stance while the southern branches instead followed Dr. Sohan Singh.[14]

The current leader of ISYF, Lakhbir Singh Rode, is sought for trial in India. He is wanted in cases of arms smuggling, conspiracy to attack government leaders in New Delhi and spreading religious hatred in Punjab. Per Indian sources, he is currently living in Lahore, Pakistan.[15]

Foreign support

There are allegations made by sources from the Indian based website the South Asian Terrorism portal that the ISYF has been supported by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence organisation.[16]

Bannings

United Kingdom

In February 2001, the United Kingdom banned twenty-one groups, including the ISYF, under the Terrorism Act 2000.[17] [18] TheISYF was removed from the list of proscribed groups in March 2016 "following receipt of an application to deproscribe the organisation".[19]

In a separate legal challenge by the leadership of the Sikh Federation (UK), including Bhai Amrik Singh, the Home Secretary confirmed on 14 December 2015 that she would be recommending to Parliament that the ban on the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) should be removed (this was removed in March 2016).[20]

India

In 2002, the ISYF was banned in India, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act designated as terrorist organisation by the Government of India.[21] It remains banned in India since then.[22]

Japan

The Japanese government banned it in 2002.[2]

Canada

In June 2003, Canada banned the organisation.[23] [24] The Vancouver Sun reported in February 2008 that Singhs were campaigning to have both the Babbar Khalsa and International Sikh Youth Federation delisted as terrorist organisations.The article went on to state that the Public Safety Minister had never been approached by anyone lobbying to delist the banned groups and said, "the decision to list organisations such as Babbar Khalsa, Babbar Khalsa International and the International Sikh Youth Federation as terrorist entities under the Criminal Code is intended to protect Canada and Canadians from terrorism".[25]

United States

The ISYF was added to the US Treasury Department terrorism list on June 27, 2002.[3] In April 2004, the United States added four organisations, including the ISYF, to its terror list, allowing the US to deny entry (and to deport) any of its members.[3] [26]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF). Institute for Conflict Management. 18 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924094703/http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/states/punjab/terrorist_outfits/ISYF.htm. 24 September 2015. live. dmy-all.
  2. Web site: MOFA: Implementation of the Measures including the Freezing of Assets against Terrorists and the Like . 2013-11-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130406134416/http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/announce/2002/7/0705.html . 2013-04-06 . live .
  3. Web site: What You Need To Know About U.S. Sanctions. U.S. Department of Treasury. 2009-05-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20080910021822/http://www.treasury.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/programs/terror/terror.pdf. 2008-09-10. live.
  4. Web site: Canada lists Babbar Khalsa, Sikh Youth Federation as terror outfits. 4 April 2019. 8 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201108120139/https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/canada-lists-babbar-khalsa-sikh-youth-federation-terror-outfits-1408833-2018-12-13. live.
  5. Web site: INTERNATIONAL SIKH YOUTH FEDERATION (ISYF) . 2023-05-02 . Khalistan Extremism Monitor . en . 2 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230502130119/https://www.khalistanextremismmonitor.org/Groups/International-Sikh-Youth-Federation-(ISYF) . live .
  6. News: Ken's adviser is linked to terror group. Gilligan. Andrew. 2008-04-21. The London Evening Standard. 2009-05-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20090612112108/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-mayor/article-23479477-details/Ken's+adviser+is+linked+to+terror+group/article.do. 2009-06-12. live.
  7. News: Air India bombmaker sent to holding centre. Bolan. Kim. February 9, 2008. Ottawa Citizen. 2009-05-31. https://web.archive.org/web/20121109171020/http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=9bfcf081-3b29-45ea-8bb3-ad82c051bcbb. November 9, 2012. live. mdy-all.
  8. News: Convicted Air India bomb-builder Inderjit Singh Reyat gets bail. July 9, 2008. CBC News. 2009-06-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20080710234916/http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/07/09/bc-air-india-reyat-bail.html. July 10, 2008. live. mdy-all.
  9. Web site: Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2016 - Hansard. hansard.parliament.uk. 29 July 2019. 29 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190729141151/https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2016-03-17/debates/7F78B639-B4B5-492C-9FA2-3ED971D9B954/TerrorismAct2000(ProscribedOrganisations)(Amendment)Order2016. live.
  10. Web site: 2023-01-20 . Ludhiana court blast: NIA conducts searches; recovers cash, phones, diaries . The Indian Express . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20230120173632/https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/ludhiana-court-blast-nia-searches-recovery-8394741/lite/ . 20 January 2023 . 2023-04-28.
  11. Web site: 2023-01-08 . Pak-based Khalistani terrorist Lakhbir Singh Rode planned 2021 Ludhiana court blast . 2023-04-28 . TimesNow . en . 10 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231010123158/https://www.timesnownews.com/india/pak-based-khalistani-terrorist-lakhbir-singh-rode-planned-2021-ludhiana-court-blast-article-96835768 . live .
  12. News: There will be no sell-out of the Sikh community: Jasbir Singh Rode . 26 July 2018 . India Today . 31 March 1988 . 26 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180726234153/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/special-report/story/19880331-there-will-be-no-sell-out-of-the-sikh-community-jasbir-singh-rode-797086-1988-03-31 . live .
  13. Book: Tatla . Darsham Singh . The Sikh Diaspora: The Search For Statehood . 2005 . Routledge . 141 . 9781135367442 . 26 July 2018.
  14. Book: International Law Reports . 395 . Lauterpacht, Elihu . Greenwood, C. J. . Oppenheimer, A. G. . Cambridge University Press . 1998 . 978-0-521-58070-0 .
  15. Web site: Reuters . US to freeze assets of Babbar Khalsa, Intl Sikh Youth Federation . 28 June 2002 . The Indian Express . 11 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121011031057/http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=12067 . 11 October 2012 . dead . dmy-all .
  16. Web site: International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) South Asian Terrorism Portal article. n.d.. The Institute for Conflict Management. 2009-05-31. https://web.archive.org/web/20090310175452/http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/states/punjab/terrorist_outfits/ISYF.htm. 2009-03-10. live.
  17. News: ISYF banned under new terror law . Guardian Unlimited . 2001-03-01 . Richard . Norton-Taylor . 2008-12-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20050428142052/http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4144220,00.html . 2005-04-28 . live .
  18. Book: 1089 . Encyclopedia of diasporas: immigrant and refugee cultures around the world . Carol R Ember . Melvin Ember . Ian A. Skoggard . Springer . 2004 . 978-0-306-48321-9 . 24 September 2016 . 27 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230927203729/https://books.google.com/books?id=7QEjPVyd9YMC . live .
  19. Web site: PROSCRIBED TERRORIST ORGANISATIONS. n.d.. Home Office. 2017-06-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20170614124613/https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/612076/20170503_Proscription.pdf. 2017-06-14. live.
  20. Web site: Ramchurn. Sheena. 2016-09-30. Sikh Leader Campaigns for Khalistan, Secures British Passport After Long Legal Battle - Latest, National, Top Stories. 2021-11-07. The Asian Today Online. en-GB. 6 April 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230406225223/https://www.theasiantoday.com/index.php/2016/09/30/sikh-leader-campaigns-khalistan-secures-british-passport-long-legal-battle/. live.
  21. Web site: Terrorism Act 2000. Ministry of Home Affairs (India). May 20, 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120510212307/http://mha.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?id_pk=292. May 10, 2012.
  22. Web site: List of Banned Organisations. Ministry of Home Affairs, GoI. Government of India. 3 May 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180503233101/https://mha.gov.in/banned-organisations . 3 May 2018.
  23. News: Currently listed entities . Government of Canada . 2009-04-06 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090626183402/http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/prg/ns/le/cle-en.asp#ISYF . 2009-06-26 .
  24. Book: Terror Threat: International and Homegrown Terrorists and Their Threat to Canada . registration . 206–207 . Hamilton, Dwight . Rimsa, Kostas . Dundurn Press . 2007 . 978-1-55002-736-5 .
  25. News: Sikh leader solicits support. Bolan. Kim. February 18, 2008. The Vancouver Sun. 2009-05-31. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090603194134/http://www2.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=17e39f37-c322-40a7-8b13-e37c29e40881. June 3, 2009.
  26. News: Indian groups join US terror list . BBC News . 2004-04-30 . 2008-12-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20040714131625/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3674827.stm . 2004-07-14 . live .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "International Sikh Youth Federation".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.