Reuters AlertNet Lite - Pakistani from NY guilty of funding Sikh militants

Reuters AlertNet Full site

NEWSDESK

Pakistani from NY guilty of funding Sikh militants

20 Dec 2006 21:43:48 GMT
Source: Reuters

NEW YORK, Dec 20 (Reuters) - A Pakistani man living in New York was found guilty on Wednesday of wiring money and trying to send a foot soldier to a Sikh militant separatist group opposed to the Indian government.

Khalid Awan was found guilty in Brooklyn federal court of transferring $25,000 and trying to recruit Harjit Singh, a former fellow prison inmate, to the Khalistan Commando Force in 2003.

Awan faces a maximum of 45 years in prison when he is sentenced on March 7. He was found guilty of all counts he faced, including providing material support or resources to terrorists and money laundering to promote terrorism.

Awan was detained on federal credit card fraud charges as a material witness shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

Inside prison he met Singh, who federal authorities say he introduced to Khalistan Commando Force leader Paramjit Singh Panjwar through phone calls placed from the prison -- in the hopes that after Singh's release he would travel to Lahore, Pakistan, to join the group.

But Singh turned on Awan, telling federal authorities of his relationship with Panjwar, and Awan was soon being taped talking to the militant leader on the telephone about the $25,000 and Singh's future.

The militant group, formed in 1986, is made up of Sikhs who have tried to violently force India into letting them form their own state in the country's Punjab region.

Aside from hundreds of bombings, acts of sabotage and kidnappings committed against the Indian government, the group is responsible for the murder of Chief Minister Beant Singh of Punjab in 1995, according to to the U.S. Justice Department.

AlertNet news is provided by

Email this article Send comments

Countries

Small country map
© 2004 Europa Technologies Ltd.

Reset map

• India profile
· View map

• Pakistan profile
· View map

MORE >>

NGO latest

• From the Executive Director's Desk... In the Fight to end Malaria Broken Promises Create Suffering Children
CWS

• MANY STILL HOMELESS, TWO YEARS ON
Muslim Aid - UK

• Two years after the seaquake/Malteser International: Aid for more than 500,000 tsunami victims
Malteser International - Germany

• New HIV and AIDS Resource Section Launched on ADRA Web Site
ADRA - International

• Zwei Jahre nach dem Tsunami am Indischen Ozean
Diakonie Emergency Aid - Germany

MORE >>

Latest news

• Pakistani from NY guilty of funding Sikh militants

• Bush signs extension of tax breaks, help for Gulf

• Bush sees setbacks in Iraq, weighs more US troops

• Baby put into X-ray machine at Los Angeles airport

• Bush: Iran's leader taking country 'out of step'

MORE >>

Last updated:Wed Dec 20 21:45:42 2006