Suspected terrorist wanted in India arrested by FBI in Sacramento, a sanctuary city | Law Enforcement Today

SACRAMENTO, CA - On Thursday, April 17th, federal agents in California announced the arrest of an alleged terrorist wanted by Indian authorities. According to CBS News, the individual has been identified as Harpreet Singh and he is allegedly responsible for terror attacks in Punjab, India. Singh is also linked to two international terrorist groups.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said that Singh entered the United States illegally and used burner phones to evade capture. Records indicate that he entered the United States illegally in 2021 via an illegal human trafficking network. After his arrest, Punjab authorities released a statement, alleging that Singh was an operative of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) as well as an associate of Terrorist Rinda, both known as militant Khalistani groups.

According to ABC 10, BKI is a militant organization seeking to create an independent nation-state of Khalistan in the Punjab region. It's been designated as a terrorist group by the United States. 

Authorities said that Singh is allegedly connected to a series of grenade attacks on police stations, religious sites, and homes of public figures across Punjab along with alleged extortion cases across India. BBC reported that he is linked to 14 of 16 grenade attacks in Punjab over the last seven months.

Singh, who is also known as Happy Passia, is specifically wanted by Indian authorities in connection with a grenade attack on a house in Chandigarh city in 2024. According to India's National Investigation Agency (NIA), the attack was aimed at a retired Punjab police officer. In January, the NIA announced a reward of $5,855 to anyone who shared information about Singh.

In March, the NIA brought formal charges against four people, including Singh, over the attack. The statement named Singh and Harwinder Singh Sandhu, also known as Rinda, as the "primary handlers and masterminds behind the attack." The NIA said, "They had provided logistical support, terror funds, weapons, and ammunition to India-based on-ground operatives in Chandigarh for executing the grenade attack."

The NIA said that investigations had revealed Singh and Sandhu had orchestrated conspiracy to "strike terror among law enforcement officials and general public." Punjab authorities hailed Singh's arrest as a result of cooperation between US and Indian agencies. Shandu's whereabouts are not known and he is listed as a "most wanted" suspect by the NIA.