Saquib Salim / New Delhi

There is a well-known dialogue from a Hindi film, “Jinke apne ghar shiishe ke hote hain, wo dusro pe paththar nahi phenka karte” (Those living in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones at others). The western media and governments, especially of Canada, need to learn from this famous dialogue written by Akhtarul Iman and delivered by Raaj Kumar. At the outset a reader should know that Canada doesn’t operate in seclusion for its intelligence operations. It is a member of Five Eyes, which is an intelligence alliance comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America (USA).

Victor Khitzchenko, a Russian diplomat in New Delhi, was gunned down by two gunmen on 21 March 1985. Four days before this another Russian diplomat in New Delhi, Igor Guejo, was kidnapped by the US intelligence agencies. Igor was found in the USA a few days later and it was claimed that he had willingly defected, a claim refuted by his wife.

Khitzichenko’s killing in 1985, according to PTI, "had all the touches of professionalism." According to a Washington Post report, “The motorbike approached the rear of the Soviet envoy's car, and a single shot was fired.

The car skidded to a halt, and more shots were pumped into the vehicle from the right side and front.” Though the assassins couldn’t be caught it was believed that the killers were Afghan refugees. CIA sponsored anti-USSR resistance in Afghanistan is not a secret.

Igor went missing on 17 March 1985 after he went out for a morning jog from his official residence in New Delhi. According to India Today, “Natasha (wife of Igor Guejo) had told a

Delhi police official that they were a very close family and that Igor had been also very attached to his parents in Moscow.

She told the police that she suspected her husband had been kidnapped.” This allegation of kidnapping came after  the American embassy had confirmed that Guejo had defected and had been flown to the United States from New Delhi.

What kind of country takes away a diplomat of one country from the soil of another sovereign nation without informing them? But the Five Eyes believe that there is no international law for them. 

In November 1984, Percy Norris, a British diplomat, was killed in a similar fashion in Mumbai when he was in his car. Two unidentified men killed him in a ‘professional’ fashion. 

On 3 June 1982, Mustafa Marzook, a Kuwaiti diplomat in New Delhi was shot dead. The India Today reported, “Stepping out of his house at 9.20 a.m. on June 3, Mustafa was opening the door to his Mercedes, when a figure materialised from behind the car and pumped five shots into the diplomat. One shot shattered the rear window but the other four smashed into Mustafa's stomach.”

Jordanian ambassador to India was shot at in October 1983 in New Delhi.

In all these events the role of the western intelligence agencies was either confirmed or at least alleged.  

The Five Eyes have always tried to intrude into the internal affairs of India. There were several reports, confirmed and unconfirmed, that the Khalistan separatist movement was sponsored by the Five Eyes in collaboration with Pakistan.

At the peak of the Khalistan Movement, the press reported about the existence of Khalistani Terrorist Camps in Canada and Pakistan. There was evidence to support the allegations that Khalistani leaders like Ganga Singh Dhillon were funded by the western intelligence agencies.

In the 1980s when diplomats were being targeted in India and separatist movements were funded in the western countries in the name of freedom of expression, self-styled and rather unknown groups would claim the responsibility of these attacks.

Public memory is often short and people might have forgotten the famous Larkins case of 1983.  Maj. Gen. Frank Larkins, his brother, Air Vice-Marshal Ken Larkins, and Lt. Col. Jasbir Singh (all three were retired Indian Army officers) were arrested on 10 November 1983 on charges of spying for the CIA. A few days later India ordered U.S. diplomat Harry L. Weatherbee to leave the country within 24 hours.

According to United Press International (UPI), “Frank Larkins, 59, was reported to have confessed to the judge that he had worked for the CIA since 1972 and brought his 57-year-old brother, Ken Larkins, into the spy ring after the latter's retirement from the air force.”

The report further said, “The trial was held in secret for national security reasons, but the sentencing was open to the public. Sources close to the proceedings said the men were found guilty of delivering secret information to U.S. Embassy officials believed to be working for the CIA in New Delhi.”

 All three were sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment in July 1985.

If someone hoped that the Five Eyes led by the US would have stopped after that then they should recall what Mirza Ghalib wrote, “still you won’t feel any disgrace.” In 1985, another spy ring was caught and this time it was in the Prime Minister’s office.

One of the closest aides of Rajiv Gandhi, P. C Alexander, had to resign from the post of his principal secretary after his personal secretary, T.N. Kher, and other two personal assistants were arrested under the Official Secrets Act for passing classified defence information to agents of an unspecified foreign country.

The Washington Post reported, “two businessmen with links to multinational corporations and the nine government officials -- had been arrested by the counterespionage branch of the Intelligence Bureau.”

The Five Eyes have not stopped at this and their intrusion in the Indian security system and internal affairs is still not a past. Rather than alleging India, they need a course correction for themselves.