| International Sikh Youth Federation | |
|---|---|
| Active region(s) | India |
| Ideology | Khalistan |
| Status | Active (2008) |
| Organizations listed as terrorist groups by India |
|---|
| Northeastern India |
| National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) Naga National Council-Federal (NNCF) National Council of Nagaland-Khaplang United Liberation Front of Asom People's Liberation Army (Manipur) Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) Zomi Revolutionary Front |
| Kashmir |
| Al-Badr Al-Badr Mujahideen Al Barq (ABQ) Al Fateh Force (AFF) Al Jihad Force (AJF)/Al Jihad Al Mujahid Force (AMF) Al Umar Mujahideen (AUR/Al Umar) Awami Action Committee (AAC) Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DEM) Harakat-ul-Ansar Harakat-ul-Jihad-I-Islami Harakat-ul-Mujahideen Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HUM) Ikhwan-ul-Musalmeen (IUM) Jaish-e-Mohammed (JEM) Lashkar-e-Mohammadi Jammat-ul-Mujahideen (JUM) Jammat-ul-Mujahideen Almi (JUMA) Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP) Jammu and Kashmir Islamic Front (JKIF) Jammu and Kashmir Jamaat-e-Islami (JKJEI) Lashkar-e-Toiba (LET) Jaish-e-Mohammed Kul Jammat Hurriyat Conference (KJHC) Mahaz-e-Azadi (MEA) Muslim Janbaaz Force (MJF/Jaanbaz Force) Muslim Mujahideen (MM) Hizbul Mujahideen Harkat-ul-Mujahideen Farzandan-e-Milat United Jihad Council Al-Qaeda Students Islamic Movement of India Tehreek-e-Jihad (TEJ) Pasban-e-Islami (PEI/Hizbul Momineen HMM) Shora-e-Jihad (SEJ) Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen (TUM) |
| North India |
| Babbar Khalsa Bhindranwala Tigers Force of Khalistan Communist Party of India (Maoist) Dashmesh Regiment International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) Kamagata Maru Dal of Khalistan] Khalistan Liberation Force Khalistan Commando Force Khalistan Liberation Army Khalistan Liberation Front Khalistan Liberation Organisation Khalistan National Army Khalistan Guerilla Force Khalistan Security Force Khalistan Zindabad Force |
| Central India |
| People's war group Balbir militias Naxals Ranvir Sena |
The International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) is banned under British,[1][2][3] Indian,[2] Canadian[2][4] and American[5] terrorism legislations.[6]
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In February 2001, the United Kingdom banned twenty-one groups, including the ISYF, under a new terrorism law.[1][3][7]
In 2002, the ISYF was banned in India.[2]
In June 2003, Canada banned the organization.[4][8]
The ISYF was added to the US Treasury Department terrorism list on June 27, 2002.[5] In April 2004, the United States added four organizations, including the ISYF, to its terror list, allowing the US to deny entry (and to deport) any of its members.[5][6]
The Vancouver Sun reported in February 2008 that Dabinderjit Singh was campaigning to have both the Babbar Khalsa and International Sikh Youth Federation delisted as terrorist organizations. The article went on to state that the Public Safety Minister had never been approached by anyone lobbying to delist the banned groups and said, "the decision to list organizations such as Babbar Khalsa, Babbar Khalsa International and the International Sikh Youth Federation as terrorist entities under the Criminal Code is intended to protect Canada and Canadians from terrorism".[9]
In 1984, the All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) started the ISYF in the United Kingdom as an international branch.[4][8]
The 1985 bombing of Air India Flight 182 off Ireland, the deadliest aircraft terror attack until the September 11, 2001 attacks, and the attempted bombing of Air India Flight 301, were allegedly carried out by Sikh extremists. Inderjit Singh Reyat, a member of the ISYF, was found guilty of manslaughter for making the bombs, and is the only individual convicted in these attacks as of 9 Feb 2009. [10] [11] [12]
ISYF members have engaged in terrorist attacks, assassinations, and bombings against both Indian figures and moderate Sikhs opposing them.[8] The organization has also collaborated and associated with other Sikh terrorist organizations, including Babbar Khalsa,[4] the Khalistan Liberation Force,[8] and Khalistan Commando Force.[8]
Lord Bassam of Brighton, then Home Office minister, stated that ISYF members working from the UK had committed "assassinations, bombings and kidnappings" and were a "threat to national security."[10]
Pargat Singh founded the ISYF, under the patronage of Jasbir Singh Rode.[7]
Rode had arrived in the United Kingdom in August 1984 but, by December 1984, was expelled for publicly advocating violent methods in support of the Khalistan movement.[13] Rode returned to India, where he was imprisoned without trial until 1988.[13] Upon his release, he moderated, now advocating pursuing constitutional changes within India.[13] This created a rift in the UK branches roughly along north/south lines: the northern branches followed Rode's moderate stance while the southern branches instead followed Dr. Sohan Singh.[13]
The Sikh Federation (UK) was founded in September 2003, and is considered by some to be the UK successor of the International Sikh Youth Federation.[10][14] Andrew Gilligan, reporting for The London Evening Standard, stated that the Sikh Federation (UK) is the "successor" of the ISYF, and that its executive committee, objectives, and senior members... are largely the same.[10] [15]
There are allegations that the ISYF has long been supported by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence organization.[16]