[8] International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) was formed on 23 September 1984 in Walsall, UK after the Operation Blue Star conducted by the Indian Military.

Inderjit Singh Reyat, a dual British-Canadian citizen and member of the ISYF, was found guilty of manslaughter for making the bombs and had to spend more than 20 years imprisoned in Canada, and is the only individual convicted in these attacks as of 9 Feb 2009.

[10] Lord Bassam of Brighton, then Home Office minister, stated that ISYF members working from the UK had committed "assassinations, bombings and kidnappings" and were a "threat to national security.

He was wanted in cases of arms smuggling, conspiracy to attack government leaders in New Delhi, and spreading religious hatred in Punjab.

[21][22][23] There are allegations made by sources from the Indian based website the South Asian Terrorism portal that the ISYF has been supported by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence organisation.

[4][10] The Vancouver Sun reported in February 2008 that Singhs were campaigning to have both the Babbar Khalsa and International Sikh Youth Federation delisted as terrorist organisations.

The article went on to state that the Public Safety Minister had never been approached by anyone lobbying to delist the banned groups and said, "the decision to list organisations such as Babbar Khalsa, Babbar Khalsa International and the International Sikh Youth Federation as terrorist entities under the Criminal Code is intended to protect Canada and Canadians from terrorism".

[5] In April 2004, the United States added four organisations, including the ISYF, to its terror list, allowing the US to deny entry (and to deport) any of its members.