Brar - 4 arrested

[13Mirch]

Couple of things to consider...

1. All along they said it was 4 bearded attackers, howcome one of them turns out to be a woman?
   
2. Nowhere have they so far disclosed the Sikh identity of the attackers (unless I missed it), or even their names.
   
3. No details have been given as to how they concluded it was these 4, was it the cell phone or the CCTV footage?
   
4. The motive of the attack has not been specified yet.
   
5. No names have come up as to which organization these people had allegiance to.
   

Until these issues and several more are clarified, take everything with a pinch of salt.

Theres a new fb page. Stop Sikh terrorism, the foolish admin posted a Indian express link saying Babbar Khalsa is suspected. It seems now that Indian mentality considers Babbars have moved from Canada to Uk.

[13Mirch]

It just a plan to defame Sikhs. Already with the '84 memorial attention is being put on Sikhs in India. We are being portrayed in the same light as the Jews were in Nazi Germany. Just look at the reaction after the attack, Sikh! It was on everyone's tongues. And the "beard" and "knife" is often associated with Sikhs. I am not saying Kirpan is a knife but just how people seem to have that general perspective.

[Shaheed Singh Khalsa]

Veer Mehtab Singh, if I may I would like to address some of the questions that you have raised. I am currently a Detective Constable in a Canadian Police Service. About 12 years ago, i spent 2 years working as a Police Officer for the London Met......this is the Police Agency investigating the Brar stabbing.

In terms of the incident itself, the matter was reported to the Police By Brar. This was most likely as a result of a 911 call to emergency services. The first officers attending the scene would deal with the victim and assisting paramedics to treat any injuires. Officers would immediately try to get a description of the suspect or suspects. This information is then communicated to other officers in the area and a search commences. In addition, the scene of the crime is locked down to preserve evidence. As the investigation continues, witness statements are obtained, any evidence at the scene is collected and most importantly video surveillance from surrounding buildings is gathered.

Once Brar registered the report, if medically cleared he is free to leave the country if he wishes. The matter will still be investigated as no person can consent to such as assault. Investigators would be in phone contact with Brar throughout the investigation to keep him updated. In terms of making an identification of the suspects, should the police require Brar to view a photo line up to see if he can recognise the men responsible for the crime, he may be asked to return to the UK. The police may have already made identifications through video surveillance and vehicle registration information and may not need Brar to identify the attcakers. In my experience short term memory in these type of scenarios is not reliable in making positive identifications and the Courts are now less reliant on victim identifications in such cases.

In terms of the arrests made in this case, the police require "reasonable grounds/suspicion" that the arrested person was involved in the crime. The police do not have to disclose to the public what evidence they have in order to make the arrests. At the arrest stage, all police have is a belief that the person is involved. The arrested people will be interviewed to see what they say.............they can say nothing.......have an alilbi ......or admit to what happended. Often, the arrested individuals will be bailed (released) to return to the police station in a few weeks. This gives the police a chance to further investigate any new information, an alibi or any other leads.

Basically as soon as there is a suspicion that someone has committed a crime the police can arrest. In order to charge that person with an offence the police must have evidence to support a prosecution of this person. So yes you can be arrested without be charged immediately. If the police don't find enough evidence or they find that the person is innocent they will be released without charge.

Hope this answers your questions.

Waheguru ji ka Khalsa Waheguru ji ki Fateh.

Brother thank you for taking the time to explain this for us! May Waheguru maharaj's kirpa keep you safe while keeps your fellow Canadians safe. Nanak naam chardi kala tere bhane sarbat da bhala.

[Mehtab Singh]

Veer Mehtab Singh, if I may I would like to address some of the questions that you have raised.

Thank you so much veerji, that was very informative indeed. I hope Singhs can figure out how to stay within the boundaries of UK law and devise a way to counter all this negative publicity.

[Azaad]

With New Delhi taking up strongly with London the recent assassination attempt on Lt Gen KS Brar (retd), Britain has assured India of its determination to bring the perpetrators of the attack to justice.

In a letter to External Affairs Minister SM Krishna, British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Office William Hague also assured New Delhi that Britain would continue updating Indian officials about the progress of investigations in the case.

Hague conveyed his “shock” at the attack on Brar in London on September 30 and hoped for his “quick recovery”, official sources here said.

Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai, who was in London earlier this week, is believed to have taken up with the British authorities the attack on Brar by four unidentified men in Old Quebec Street near Oxford Street in London last Sunday.

Britain has taken seriously the attack on Brar, who led ‘Operation Bluestar’ in 1984 to flush out ‘pro-Khalistan’ militants from Golden Temple.

“It (the attack on Brar) is of great concern to the UK. We don’t want these people here exporting their terrorist views because they represent a real threat to people in the UK apart from anything else. It is regarded as being as unacceptable and despicable as people in India do,’’ British Foreign Office Minister in-charge of India Hugo Swire had said.

[Singh559]

There needs to be a dialogue. No one wanted Khalistan prior to the attack. After the attack they created the idea of Khalistan after a genocide on the Sikhs.

Sikhs need to get together and form our voice. This is getting quite sad now.

Hugo's words are irresponsible partly due to the fact he has been pressured by the Indian government to turn this into a khalistan ideal. This is a clear slap on the faces of all Sikhs that a random attack on Brar has turned into a Khalistan issue.

This is a wake up call.

[lsingh]

Good update by Shephards Bush Gurdwara and United Sikhs on the Sikh Channel that they had hired Lawyers to help Sikhs that were in their area.

[proactive]

The interesting development here is that the trial will offer a number of opportunities and could even be a blessing in disguise.

1. If the accused want to admit their role and yet the defence can offer the mitigating circumstances about what atrocities that Brar had committed during the attack in 1984. Sikh organisations need to get on the ball and get sworn witness statements from eyewitnesses as well as media reports from that time.

2. It is likely that Brar and his wife will need to give evidence at the trial. If so then Sikh organisations need to collect statements from witnesses especially from Sikhs who suffered during the attack in 1984 and who are now British citizens. These statements can be used to apply to the courts to arrest Brar when he sets foot in the country.

3. If Brar does not come to the UK because of the real fear of arrest the court could take his evidence via video link but then the Sikh organisations need to bring this to the attention of the media as well as sympathetic MPs.

4. In any evidence given by Brar the defence team should take the opportunity to ask about what atrocities were committed by men under his command.