David Eby has called on Ottawa to list the Lawrence Bishnoi group as a terrorist organization in Canada.The Indian gang has been linked to extortion threats in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario's South Asian communities.."There are allegations that gangs from India are operating here in our province, and in other provinces to intimidate and extort business owners," Eby said during a press conference on Tuesday, "and so looking at the issue with the minister of public safety, I will be writing to the prime minister to ask that one of the gangs that has self-identified as being involved in some of these activities, the Lawrence Bishnoi group, be listed as a terrorist organization in Canada.".He expressed hope that such a designation would "enable police to be able to use the necessary tools to investigate and bring this activity to an end.""We don't make this recommendation lightly," Eby continued, "but this activity strikes at public confidence in the justice system, in our democracy, and in their safety and community, and it erodes public confidence in the rule of law.".Suspected Indian agent surveilled Jagmeet Singh.Along with extortion, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang has been reportedly linked to the surveillance of Canadian politicians. An agent with suspected ties to the group and the Indian government allegedly tracked Jagmeet Singh in 2023, prompting the RCMP to protect the then-NDP leader and his family.The gang has recently been linked to cases of extortion in Surrey. Public Safety Minister Gary Begg, among others, attended a community gathering on the weekend to discuss the issue. .The full text of the letter can be found here.
