TNAG-2825-FCO40-4076-Future-of-Hong-Kong-terrorism-and-counter-terrorism-1993 — Page 53

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MDHIAN 3667

93

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FM NEW DELHI

TO DESKBY 0313OOZ FCO

TELNO 803

OF 031134Z SEPTEMBER 93

#

AND TO DESKBY 031300Z HONG KONG, SNUFFBOX

SIKH TERRORISM: INDIAN REQUEST FOR URGENT ASSISTANCE

SUMMARY

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INDIAN MEA REQUEST OUR ASSISTANCE OVER THE DEPORTATION FROM HONG KONG OF THREE SUSPECTED SIKH TERRORISTS. INDIANS BELIEVE THAT SUSPECTS WILL BE PUT ON A 'PLANE ON SUNDAY 5 SEPTEMBER WHICH WILL TRANSIT BANGKOK AND THAT THAI AUTHORITIES WILL ALLOW THEM TO DISAPPEAR THERE. REQUEST INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO RESPOND DESKBY 06030OZ SEPTEMBER.

DETAIL

2. MINISTER WAS SUMMONED BY MEA TODAY TO RECEIVE AN URGENT REQUEST FOR COOPERATION IN APPREHENDING THREE SUSPECTED SIKH TERRORISTS WHO ARE CURRENTLY IN THE CUSTODY OF THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES. DETAILS ARE SET OUT IN AN INDIAN SPEAKING NOTE, TEXT IN MIFT.

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THE JOINT SECRETARY CONCERNED, SEHGAL, EXPLAINED THAT A TEAM OF POLICE OFFICERS FROM THE PUNJAB WERE IN HONG KONG AND IN TOUCH WITH THE RELEVANT HONG KONG AUTHORITIES, CONTACT HAVING BEEN ESTABLISHED THROUGH THE INDIAN COMMISSIONER IN HONG KONG. THE POLICE TEAM HAD WITH THEM INDIAN ARREST WARRANTS AND DETAILS OF THE BACKGROUND AND ALLEGED OFFENCES OF THE SUSPECTS. THE POLICE TEAM HAD GAINED THE IMPRESSION THAT THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES WERE RELUCTANT TO AGREE TO THEIR REQUEST THAT THE SUSPECTS SHOULD BE DEPORTED ON A DIRECT FLIGHT TO INDIA AND WISHED INSTEAD TO PUT THEM ON A FLIGHT WHICH TRANSITED THROUGH BANGKOK. THE INDIAN AMBASSADOR IN BANGKOK HAD ADVISED THAT THE THAI AUTHORITIES HAD BEEN PUT UNDER PRESSURE BY PROMINENT SIKHS AND WERE LIKELY TO ALLOW THE SUSPECTS TO LEAVE THE AIRPORT AT BANGKOK AND DISAPPEAR. THE INDIAN POLICE HAD CONFISCATED THE SUSPECTS' ALLEGEDLY FALSE PASSPORTS AND HAD ISSUED THEM WITH TEMPORARY TRAVEL DOCUMENTS.

SEHGAL SAID THAT ONE OF THE SUSPECTS, BALWINDER SINGH, WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE CONTACTS WITH A SIKH GROUP BASED IN CANADA AND TO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT OF THE INDIAN

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