Pannun Threatens To Attack Indian Parliament As US Looks The Other Way After 'Foiling Assassination Bid'

Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun has threatened to attack the Indian Parliament on or before 13 December to "shake the very foundations of Parliament".

13 December marks the anniversary of the Parliament attack that occurred in 2001.

Pannun, a dual citizen of the US and Canada, published a video threatening to strike the Indian Parliament in response for what he called "India's foiled assassination" bid on him.

The video also displayed a poster juxtaposing his image with that of Afzal Guru, a convict who was hanged in 2013 for the Parliament attack in 2001, with the caption "Delhi Banega Khalistan".

Pannun's threat come amid the ongoing winter session of the parliament, which began on 4 Decemberand is set to continue till 22 December.

In the wake of the threat video's release, security agencies are on high alert.

Earlier last month, the United States announced that it had thwarted an assassination attempt on the Khalistani terrorist earlier in the year. The US also warned India about concerns about New Delhi's involvement.

According to a high-ranking US official, Pannun was the target of the foiled plot.

Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, was charged by US federal prosecutors on 29 November for his alleged participation in the unsuccessful plan to assassinate Khalistani separatist Pannun on American soil.

It is alleged that Gupta, while in India, conspired to hire a hitman who, unbeknownst to him, was an undercover US agent.

An unidentified Indian government employee, who was allegedly involved in the plot, reportedly agreed to a payment of $100,000 for the assassination.

In his recent visit to India, US Principal Deputy NSA Jonathan Finer conveyed to New Delhi the importance of holding accountable anyone found responsible in the probe announced by India to investigate an alleged Indian link to a foiled plot to kill Pannun on American soil.

The White House said Finer "acknowledged" India's establishment of a committee of enquiry to investigate the "lethal plotting" and underlined the need for holding accountable those responsible.

"Finer acknowledged India's establishment of a committee of enquiry to investigate lethal plotting in the United States and the importance of holding accountable anyone found responsible," it said in a readout while referring to his meetings in the New Delhi.

Over the past two years, Pannun has been at the forefront of a worldwide campaign against India and its establishments. There have been numerous hostile incidents instigated by Khalistan supporters against Indian missions and officials in Canada and the UK in the past year.

Pannun notably circulated 'kill posters' naming high-ranking diplomats stationed at missions in Ottawa and other locations.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), the anti-terror probe agency of India, has filed a case against Pannun, alleging that he used video messages on social media earlier last month to warn Air India passengers that their lives were at risk.