Balwinder Singh, aka Happy, aka Jhaji, aka Possi, aka Baljit Singh, 42, of Reno, Nevada, was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison for conspiracy to provide material support and resources to terrorists.
Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Mary B. McCord, U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI’s Las Vegas Division made the announcement.
“The JTTF investigation led to the discovery of a Reno resident who was a member of two terrorist groups and provided material support to intimidate the Indian government and to harm persons that were not supporting the terrorism groups’ cause,” said U.S. Attorney Bogden.
“This case is an example of multi-law enforcement agencies working collaboratively together to protect the United States and our foreign allies from a terrorist act.”
“The sentence imposed today sends a clear message: Members of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force will work vigorously to uncover and stop any efforts to provide monetary or material support to organizations created to do murder,” said Special Agent in Charge Rouse.
“This investigation clearly highlights the magnitude and importance of the law enforcement community’s commitment to combatting terrorism and keeping our nation safe.”
Singh is a citizen of India and a U.S. permanent resident. Singh pleaded guilty on Nov. 29, 2016. He was charged on Dec. 18, 2013.
According to court documents, between September 2013 and Dec. 17, 2013, Singh conspired with others to support terrorist attacks in India as part of a movement to create an independent Sikh state in the Punjab region of India.
Singh agreed to provide material support by helping facilitate a co-conspirator’s travel to and within South Asia; to provide necessary funding; and to provide materials necessary to carry out the attack.
On occasions, Singh traveled from Reno to California to meet a co-conspirator in person.
(US Attorney for Nevada Daniel Bogden talks to reporters Tuesday after the sentencing of Balwinder Singh in Reno for his role in a terror plot targeting India. Courtesy of Ben Botkin, Las Vegas Review-Journal and YouTube)
In October 2013, Singh and co-conspirators agreed that one co-conspirator would travel to India and commit a terror attack – likely an assassination or maiming of an Indian governmental official. The final target would be determined after the co-conspirator arrived in South Asia.
In November 2013, Singh purchased two sets of night vision goggles and a laptop computer. In December 2013, he provided these items to a co-conspirator who was going to carry out the planned terror attack.
On Dec. 9, 2013, the co-conspirator attempted to board a flight from the San Francisco International Airport to Bangkok, Thailand in order to carry out the terror attack.
He had with him the night vision goggles provided to him by Singh. U.S. law enforcement prevented the co-conspirator from boarding that flight. As a result, the planned terror attack never occurred.
After these events, Singh and his co-conspirators continued to discuss and plan the terror attack in India until Singh’s arrest.
This case was investigated by the FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Force (JFFT) in northern Nevada. The northern Nevada JTTF is comprised of the FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Nevada Department of Investigation.
The ATF, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office in Nevada also provided assistance in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sue Fahami, Brian L. Sullivan and Carla Higginbotham of the District of Nevada, and Trial Attorney Mara M. Kohn of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.
