Sikh separatist Pannun issues new terror threat, warns Air India flyers

This latest threat from Gurpatwant Singh Pannun citing Sikh genocide anniversary comes amidst a series of bomb threat hoaxes affecting multiple airlines in India

Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun issued another warning on Monday, cautioning passengers against flying on Air India flights between November 1 and 19, citing potential threats in connection with the “40th anniversary of the Sikh genocide”. He suggested that an attack could take place during this period on an Air India flight, reported India Today.

Pannun, the founder of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), holds dual citizenship in Canada and the United States. He had issued similar threats around the same time last year.

The latest threat comes amidst a series of bomb threat hoaxes affecting multiple airlines in India. It also coincides with heightened diplomatic tensions between India and Canada, following allegations from Canada accusing India of targeting Khalistani elements within its borders, including the murder of another terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

In November 2023, Pannun released a video warning that Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport would be closed on November 19 and threatened to rename it. He specifically urged passengers to avoid flying Air India on that day. The National Investigation Agency has charged Pannun with criminal conspiracy, promoting enmity between religious groups, and violations under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Last December, Pannun also threatened to attack India’s Parliament on or before December 13, in response to reports of an alleged plot to assassinate him. December 13 marks the anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attack on Parliament.

Furthermore, Pannun has previously threatened to kill Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Director General of State Police Gaurav Yadav on Republic Day, calling for gangsters to unite in an attack on Mann on January 26.

Designated as a terrorist by India’s Ministry of Home Affairs since July 2020, Pannun faces charges of sedition and secessionism for leading SFJ, a group that advocates for the formation of an independent Sikh state. The Indian government banned SFJ in 2019, classifying it as an ‘unlawful association’ involved in ‘anti-national and subversive’ activities.