FBI chief to visit India next week after US raised foiled murder plot

Date:

New Delhi (Reuters) – FBI Director Christopher Wray will visit India next week, officials said, days after Washington accused an Indian government official of directing an unsuccessful plot to assassinate a Sikh separatist on American soil.

India’s government, which has denied any involvement in the plot, sought to distance the visit from the case, saying Wray’s trip had been planned for some time.

The U.S. ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, did not go into any details as he announced the visit at a think tank event in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan said last week an Indian national had worked with an unnamed Indian government employee on the plot to assassinate the New York City resident who advocated for a sovereign Sikh state in northern India.

At the time, India expressed concern about the accusations, calling it contrary to government’s policy, and said it would carry out its own investigation.

The target of the assassination plot has been identified as Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who says he holds American and Canadian citizenships.

The visit by the FBI Director had “been in the works for some time,” India’s foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Thursday.

“This is part of an ongoing security cooperation,” he added.

Share post:

Related

Latest

For Kuwait’s new emir, Saudi ties are seen as key

Kuwait (Reuters) - Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah was named...

Pope Francis deplores Israeli killings of civilians at Gaza church

Vatican City (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Sunday again...

Palestinians must find new path from Israeli rule after war, top official says

Ramallah (Reuters) - Immediately after Israel's war in Gaza...

Israel says it struck Hezbollah sites after attacks from Lebanon

Jerusalem/Beirut (Reuters) - Israel said on Sunday it had...