FBI wants more Sikhs to join the agency

New York, May 28 (IANS) The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) would like to recruit Sikh youths in the US who possess Punjabi language skills.

At a meeting held last week between the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the Sikh Foundation of Virginia (SFV) and FBI officials, Sikh community leaders urged the agency to increase the recruitment and retention of Sikhs.

FBI representatives told SALDEF that Sikh youth and young professionals, including those who possess Punjabi language skills, are highly desirable to the FBI, information posted on the SALDEF website said.

"SALDEF is working closely with the FBI and other federal agencies like the Department of Homeland Security to encourage active recruitment efforts within the Sikh American community," said SALDEF Managing Director Kavneet Singh.

"We urge Sikhs from across the country to collaborate with SALDEF to organize similar events in their local communities to explore opportunities with federal agencies," Singh said.

Founded as the Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Task Force (SMART) in 1996, SALDEF is a national civil rights and educational organisation in the US. Its aim is to protect the civil rights of Sikhs in the country and ensure a fostering environment in the US for future generations.
Indo-Asian News Service