International Sikh Youth Federation
Encyclopedia
The International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) is banned under British
, India
n, Canadian
and American terrorism
legislations.
In 2002, the ISYF was banned in India.
In June 2003, Canada banned the organization.
The ISYF was added to the US Treasury Department terrorism list on June 27, 2002.
In April 2004, the United States added four organizations, including the ISYF, to its terror list, allowing the US to deny entry (and to deport) any of its members.
The Vancouver Sun
reported in February 2008 that Dabinderjit Singh
was campaigning to have both the Babbar Khalsa
and International Sikh Youth Federation delisted as terrorist organizations.
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 organizations 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".
(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 member of the ISYF, was found guilty of manslaughter for making the bombs, and is the only individual convicted in these attacks as of 9 Feb 2009.
ISYF members have engaged in terrorist attacks, assassinations, and bombings against both Indian figures and moderate Sikhs opposing them. The organization has also collaborated and associated with other Sikh terrorist organizations, 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."
Rode had arrived in the United Kingdom in August 1984 but, by December 1984, was expelled for publicly advocating violent methods in support of the Khalistan movement
.
Rode returned to India, where he was imprisoned without trial until 1988.
Upon his release, he moderated, now advocating pursuing constitutional changes within India.
This created a rift in the UK branches roughly along north/south lines: the northern branches followed Rode's moderate stance while the southern branches instead followed Dr. Sohan Singh.
Andrew Gilligan
, reporting for The London Evening Standard, stated that the Sikh Federation (UK) is the "successor" of the ISYF, and that its executive committee, objectives, and senior members... are largely the same.
's Inter-Services Intelligence
organization.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n, Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and American terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
legislations.
Bannings
In February 2001, the United Kingdom banned twenty-one groups, including the ISYF, under a new terrorism law.In 2002, the ISYF was banned in India.
In June 2003, Canada banned the organization.
The ISYF was added to the US Treasury Department terrorism list on June 27, 2002.
In April 2004, the United States added four organizations, including the ISYF, to its terror list, allowing the US to deny entry (and to deport) any of its members.
The Vancouver Sun
The Vancouver Sun
The Vancouver Sun is a daily newspaper first published in the Canadian province of British Columbia on February 12, 1912. The paper is currently published by the Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network. It is published six days a week, Monday to Saturday...
reported in February 2008 that Dabinderjit Singh
Dabinderjit Singh
The Sikh Federation is a non-governmental organisation registered as a political party. Its most prominent spokesman is Dabinderjit Singh.-Formation and International Sikh Youth Federation links:...
was campaigning to have both the Babbar Khalsa
Babbar Khalsa
Babbar Khalsa , also known as Babbar Khalsa International , is a Sikh armed organisation based in India. Many consider the Babbar Khalsa a Resistance movement, and it played a prominent role in the Punjab insurgency. Babbar Khalsa International was created in 1978, after a number of Sikhs were...
and International Sikh Youth Federation delisted as terrorist organizations.
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 organizations 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".
History and activities
In 1984, the All India Sikh Students FederationAll India Sikh Students Federation
The Sikh Students Federation, formerly the All India Sikh Students Federation, is a Sikh students' union and political organisation in India...
(AISSF) started the ISYF in the United Kingdom as an international branch.
The 1985 bombing of Air India Flight 182
Air India Flight 182
Air India Flight 182 was an Air India flight operating on the Montreal–London–Delhi route. On 23 June 1985, the airplane operating on the route a Boeing 747-237B named after Emperor Kanishka was blown up by a bomb at an altitude of , and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean while in Irish airspace.A...
off Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, the deadliest aircraft terror attack until the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, and the attempted bombing of Air India Flight 301
Air India Flight 301
At 07:13 on Sunday, June 23, 1985 an explosion at Tokyo Narita International Airport killed two baggage handlers, and injured four. The bomb in that bag was intended for Air India Flight 301 with 177 passengers and crew on board, bound for Bangkok International Airport.-Bombing:Fifty-five minutes...
, were allegedly carried out by Sikh extremists.
Inderjit Singh Reyat, a member of the ISYF, was found guilty of manslaughter for making the bombs, and is the only individual convicted in these attacks as of 9 Feb 2009.
ISYF members have engaged in terrorist attacks, assassinations, and bombings against both Indian figures and moderate Sikhs opposing them. The organization has also collaborated and associated with other Sikh terrorist organizations, including Babbar Khalsa
Babbar Khalsa
Babbar Khalsa , also known as Babbar Khalsa International , is a Sikh armed organisation based in India. Many consider the Babbar Khalsa a Resistance movement, and it played a prominent role in the Punjab insurgency. Babbar Khalsa International was created in 1978, after a number of Sikhs were...
, the Khalistan Liberation Force
Khalistan Liberation Force
The Khalistan Liberation Force or KLF is a militant group, and is part of the Khalistan movement to create a Sikh homeland called Khalistan via armed struggle...
, and Khalistan Commando Force
Khalistan Commando Force
The Khalistan Commando Force or KCF is a private paramilitary organization operating in the Indian state of Punjab. According to the US State Department, and the Assistant Inspector General of the Punjab Police Intelligence Division, the KCF was responsible for the deaths of thousands in India,...
.
Lord Bassam of Brighton, then Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
minister, stated that ISYF members working from the UK had committed "assassinations, bombings and kidnappings" and were a "threat to national security."
Leadership
Pargat Singh founded the ISYF, under the patronage of Jasbir Singh Rode.Rode had arrived in the United Kingdom in August 1984 but, by December 1984, was expelled for publicly advocating violent methods in support of the Khalistan movement
Khalistan movement
Khalistan refers to a global political secessionist movement to create a separate Sikh state, called Khālistān , carved out of parts mostly consisting of the Punjab region of India, depending on definition....
.
Rode returned to India, where he was imprisoned without trial until 1988.
Upon his release, he moderated, now advocating pursuing constitutional changes within India.
This created a rift in the UK branches roughly along north/south lines: the northern branches followed Rode's moderate stance while the southern branches instead followed Dr. Sohan Singh.
Sikh Federation (UK)
The Sikh Federation (UK) was founded in September 2003, and is considered by some to be the UK successor of the International Sikh Youth Federation.Andrew Gilligan
Andrew Gilligan
Andrew Paul Gilligan is a British journalist best known for a 2003 report on BBC Radio 4's The Today Programme in which he said a British government briefing paper on Iraq and weapons of mass destruction had been 'sexed up', a claim that ultimately led to a public inquiry that criticised Gilligan...
, reporting for The London Evening Standard, stated that the Sikh Federation (UK) is the "successor" of the ISYF, and that its executive committee, objectives, and senior members... are largely the same.
Pakistan
There are allegations that the ISYF has long been supported by PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
's Inter-Services Intelligence
Inter-Services Intelligence
The Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence , is Pakistan's premier intelligence agency, responsible for providing critical national security intelligence assessment to the Government of Pakistan...
organization.