Canada's justice department is seeking to withhold "sensitive" national security information from the upcoming murder trial of four Indian men accused of killing Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
In a Federal Court application, the Attorney General of Canada argued that disclosing certain evidence would be "injurious to international relations and national security." The case is under intense scrutiny due to allegations that the Indian government ordered the assassination of Nijjar, a prominent Khalistan movement figure, as part of a campaign against political opponents abroad.
This legal maneuver is not uncommon in national security cases. Experts note that the Attorney General has the authority to apply to protect information, often provided by foreign agencies, from public disclosure and the defense. Such applications are subject to judicial review and the defense has the right to challenge them.
The four accused, arrested in May 2024, face charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder. India has denied any involvement in the plot. The investigation initially gained traction from intelligence shared by the United Kingdom and the U.S. FBI, which also investigated a similar plot in New York.