Canadian
RCMP shut down Facebook group as listed NRI terrorist entity
Surrey, BC, Canada, April 06, 2009
Inspector Paul Richards
NRI Bahadur Sandhu, 49, of Surrey, BC, will appear in BC court
on May 04, 2009 for a firearms prohibition hearing. The youth
will also face a hearing for firearms prohibition who created
the Facebook web page with photo holding a prohibited firearm.
On February 18, 2009, the Surrey RCMP’s E-Division Integrated
National Security Enforcement Team (E-INSET) received information
leading to an investigation of a Facebook page called “ISYF”,
which stands for International Sikh Youth Federation — a
terrorist entity listed under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
After the investigation, the police located the youth, who subsequently
identified a 49-year-old Surrey man, Bahadur Sandhu, as the owner
of the firearm in the photos posted on Facebook.
E-INSET investigators went to SANDHU’s home on February
28, 2009, where he surrendered three weapons without incident.
Police seized two shotguns and the prohibited firearm identified
in the Facebook photo. A subsequent investigation revealed that
SANDHU was not permitted to own any of these firearms.
Crown Counsel has approved two firearms prohibition applications
requested by investigators against SANDHU and the youth, who cannot
be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Hearings for the
prohibition applications have been set for May 4, 2009.
The web page called “ISYF” has been removed from
Facebook.
“The RCMP takes all threats to national security seriously
and will continue to work with our partners to ensure Canada’s
safety,” said Inspector Paul Richards, Officer-in-Charge
of E-INSET.
INSETs are located in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal and the Lower
Mainland, B.C. They are designed to increase the capacity for
the collection, sharing and analysis of intelligence among partners
to protect Canada’s overall security. INSETs are comprised
of the RCMP, municipal and provincial police services, and security
and intelligence partners.
