India’s alleged interference in Canada was ‘a horrific mistake,’ Trudeau says
NBCOct 17
Two Plead Guilty in Murder of Acquitted Sikh Air India Bombing Suspect
Above: Air India Airbus A350-900 aircraft spotted flying for landing at the runway of London Heathrow Airport LHR in the United Kingdom. Image copyright: Nicolas Economou/Contributor/NurPhoto via Getty Images
The Facts
Tanner Fox and Jose Lopez pleaded guilty in the British Columbia Supreme Court on Monday to the second-degree murder of Sikh businessman Ripudaman Singh Malik in 2022. Malik was one of two men charged but acquitted in the 1985 Air India bombing.
According to the guilty plea, Fox and Lopez fired seven shots at Malik while he was sitting in his red Tesla, with police later discovering two handguns, a mask, gloves, and C$16,485 (about US$12K) in cash.
The Spin
Narrative A
As more and more stories emerge involving the murders of Sikhs in Canada, it's time for the Indian government to take responsibility for its role, no matter how small. At least one Indian intelligence official is known to have been involved in the recent failed assassination attempt, prompting even the US government to push New Delhi into making a statement.
Narrative B
This 'all eyes on India' approach shows how weak journalism is today. Any investigator worth their salt would know that Sikh separatists have strong ties to Canada's underground organized crime world. Many of these murders are likely not even politically motivated but rather the consequence of drug and money disputes.