Khalistani extremist Pannun warns passengers not to fly Air India from Nov 1-19
He claimed that an attack could occur on an Air India flight due to the '40th anniversary of the Sikh genocide'
Khalistani extremist and founder of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on Monday (October 21) warned flyers in India not to travel by any Air India flights from November 1 to November 19. He claimed that an attack could occur on an Air India flight on the “40th anniversary of the Sikh genocide”.
He was referring to the riots in 1984 when Sikhs were targeted after the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi.
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Pannun’s latest threat comes in the background of almost 100 flights in India receiving hoax bomb threats during the past one week, including 25 flights on Sunday (October 20) itself. The bomb threats have wreaked havoc in the aviation sector, leading to disruptions of flight schedules, and causing hardship to hundreds of passengers, and financial burden to the affected airlines.
The continuous hoax bomb threats have occurred at a time when India-Canadian diplomatic ties have hit a new low amid allegations by Ottawa of India being behind the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada last year.
Pannun and threats
US-based Pannun has issued several threats in the past too. In November last year, he warned people against flying by any Air India flight on November 19 and claimed that the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi would be renamed and would be closed on that day.
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In December 2023, he threatened that the Indian Parliament would be attacked on or before December 13, after there were reports of an alleged plot to kill him. It was on December 13, 2001, that terrorists had attacked the Parliament.
Earlier this year, Pannun threatened to kill Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav on Republic Day.
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It was in July 2020 that India’s Ministry of Home Affairs designated Pannun as a terrorist on charges of sedition and secessionism since he heads the SFJ, a militant group that promotes a separate Sikh state in India. SFJ was banned by India in 2019 as an unlawful association for “engaging in anti-national and subversive activities”.
Pannun holds dual citizenship in the United States and Canada.