Ahead of Manmohan Singh’s visit, two suspect Sikh extremists arrested in Germany

BERLIN - Two men have been arrested in Germany on suspicion of supplying weapons to a Sikh separatist group, just days before Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s visit to that country.

One man was arrested near Frankfurt, the other near Dusseldorf.

According to a report filed by the web site of Deutsche Welle newspaper, the men were arrested on suspicion of being members of a terrorist organization and for violating the country’s weapons laws.

The two men were said to have links with the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), federal prosecutors said in Karlsruhe on Thursday.

They have been identified as 35-year-old Sukhpreet S. and 41-year-old Jagtar S M.

They allegedly helped acquire semi-automatic weapons and ammunition for the KZF. Sukhpreet has been accused of involvement in procuring forged documents.

The KZF is said to be a violent group that is seeking to create an independent state out of areas of India where the Sikh religion is in the majority.

“Khalistan” is the name of the state it proposes to set up.

Prosecutors said the KZF actively tried to smuggle explosives, small arms and forged money into the Indian state of Punjab.

The resources and fund raising for the group is predominantly done in Europe.

The two men remain in custody. (ANI)