The FBI arrested Harpreet Singh, alias Happy Passia, in Sacramento, California, on Thursday. Harpreet Singh is accused of carrying out 14 terror attacks in Punjab. He also has strong connections with Babbar Khalsa International, a proscribed Khalistani organization, and closely works with Pakistan-based terrorist Harvinder Singh Rinda.
US officials confirmed that he was arrested, in coordination with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ERO). Singh crossed the US illegally and employed burner phones to evade surveillance. His arrest is a big success in global counter-terrorism.
Today, Harpreet Singh, an alleged terrorist responsible for terror attacks in Punjab, India, was arrested by the #FBI & #ERO in Sacramento. Linked to two international terrorist groups, he entered the U.S. illegally and used burner phones to evade capture. pic.twitter.com/vObj2xPa8Q
— FBI Sacramento (@FBISacramento) April 18, 2025
Harpreet Singh: Mastermind of Punjab terror attacks
Harpreet Singh evaded authorities for years. Indian agencies allege he conspired for targeted killings and bombings in Punjab. He employed encrypted emails, false identification cards, and fictitious travel documents to remain undercover.
His link to Rinda, an ISI-sponsored handler, made him all the more formidable. Both of them plotted attacks using agents on either side of the border.
Babbar Khalsa and Rinda: Cross-Border threat
Harpreet Singh is from Babbar Khalsa International, which is a proscribed Khalistani terrorist organization in India. The organization has a history of violence, particularly against Indian police and civilians.
Harpreet Singh also collaborates with Harvinder Singh Rinda, a prominent personality in ISI-backed terror networks of Pakistan. Rinda finances terror attacks in India and transports arms through channels that Singh is suspected to have opened. Their network reaches from India and Pakistan to America.
FBI pursues Harpreet Singh before arrest
Harpreet Singh kept on changing places. He employed the use of burners and assumed names to evade detection. Notwithstanding this, FBI agents tracked him through observations and intelligence feed.
On Thursday, they picked him up from Sacramento. Now, he stands accused of offenses related to terrorism as well as immigration offenses. Indian authorities soon might request his extradition, with the number of FIRs booked against him.
Khalistani traces spread throughout North America
The arrest of Singh brings into focus a growing trend: the spread of Khalistani sleeper cells in the West. Bureaucrats have observed increased radicalization among some diaspora groups in the US and Canada.
Raising funds for proscribed groups has also improved. Harpreet Singh’s extended sojourn in the US, given his criminal background, raises the issue of immigration loopholes. Harpreet Singh’s case adds a sense of urgency to enhanced India-US intelligence collaboration.
