NEW YORK: A Pakistani has been convicted by a US federal jury for providing financial aid to the Sikh militant group Khalistan Commando Force, which is responsible for thousands of deaths in India, and could face a maximum of 45 years in prison.
After two weeks of trial, the federal jury found Khalid Awan guilty for links with the KCF. Awan is said to have provided money and financial services to the KCF.
He will be sentenced on March 7, 2007 and faces a maximum of 45 years in prison.
The conviction was announced by U.S.Attorney Roslyn Mauskopf of the eastern District of New York and the Assistant Director in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New York, Mark Mershon.
"The war on terror is a global battle. We will not permit individuals in our jurisdictions to finance terrorist groups responsible for murder and violence in any part of the world," Mauskoph said.
The Justice Department has maintained that the KCF which is comprised of Sikh militants seeking a separate state in Punjab has engaged in numerous assassinations of prominent Indian government officials.
This includes the murder of the then Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh in 1995 and hundreds of bombings, acts of sabotage and kidnappings.
