Khalistan Commando Force: Difference between revisions

The '''Khalistan Commando Force''' ('''KCF''') is a [[Khalistani]] organisation operating in the state of [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] with prominent members based in Canada, the United Kingdom and Pakistan.<ref name="Martin">{{Cite news |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XdXpn6NH2GcC&q="Khalistan+Commando+Force"+%2B+"Terrorist"&pg=PA201 |title=Understanding Terrorism: Challenges, Perspectives, and Issues |last=Martin |first=Gus |date=17 February 2006 |access-date=8 January 2019 |publisher=SAGE |language=en |isbn=9781412927222|quote=Included among the many Sikh terrorist groups are Dal Khalsa, Bhindranwale Tiger Force, Saheed Khalsa Force, the Khalistan Liberation Front, and the Khalistan Commando Force.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Martha Crenshaw|title=Terrorism in Context|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9nFyZaZGthgC&pg=PA394|year=2010|publisher=Penn State Press|isbn=978-0-271-04442-2|page=394|quote=in the early 1992, Khalistan Commando force had 63 subgroups... for a total of 167 terrorist groups}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=http://sk.sagepub.com/books/media-and-terrorism/n10.xml |title=South Asia and the Frontline of the 'War on Terror' |last=Thussu |first=Daya Kishan |date=2012 |access-date=8 January 2019 |publisher=SAGE Publications Ltd |pages=167–183 |doi=10.4135/9781446288429.n10|isbn=9781446201589 |quote=...was led by such terrorist organizations as the Khalistan Commando Force.}}</ref> Its objective is the creation of a Sikh independent state of [[Khalistan]] through armed struggle. According to the US State Department,<ref name="KCFconvict">{{cite web|url=http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/pr122106b.html |title=U.S. Court Convicts Khalid Awan for Supporting Khalistan Commando Force |date=20 December 2006 |publisher=[[Embassy of the United States in New Delhi]], India |access-date=30 May 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211043630/http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/pr122106b.html |archive-date=11 December 2008 }}</ref> and the Assistant Inspector General of the Punjab Police Intelligence Division,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://2001-2009.state.gov/p/inl/rls/nrcrpt/2008/vol2/html/101353.htm|title=Law Enforcement Cases: International Narcotics Control Strategy Report: Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs|date=March 2008|publisher=US Department of State|access-date=8 June 2009}}</ref> the KCF was responsible for many assassinations in India, including the 1995 assassination of Punjab [[Beant Singh (chief minister)|Chief Minister Beant Singh]].<ref name="KCFconvict" /> [[India]] has declared and banned KCF as a [[terrorist]] organisation.<ref name="MHA_BanList"/>

Paramjeet Singh Panjwar remained the head of the remaining faction of the KCF as of 2008, and was listed at that time as one of the top 10 most wanted criminals in India.<ref name="MostWanted2008">{{cite news|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/jun/24slide8.htm|title=8) Paramjit Singh Panjwar|date=24 June 2008|work=rediff.com|access-date=19 June 2009}}</ref> As per the released statement of Khalid Awan - a Canadian citizen - who served 14-year sentence in the U.S. prisons for transferring money to KCF, Panjwar is a VIP in Pakistan and has the support of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency. On the other hand, the U.S prosecutors have claimed that Awan admitted of transferring money to Panjwar despite knowing the fact that the money will be used to carry out attacks against India.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/6574295/canadian-comes-home-after-imprisoned-abroad/|title=Canadians are coming home after being imprisoned abroad for terrorism-related crimes|website=Global News|language=en|access-date=6 March 2020}}</ref>