Nineteen year old Jaswant Singh Chail posted a pre-recorded video online where he said he wanted to “assassinate” the Queen of England.
Jasbir Singh Chail, the Indian-origin father of a teenager being held by the UK police for intruding the grounds of the Windsor Castle when 95-year-old Queen Elizabeth was there celebrating Christmas with her loved ones, feels that “something has gone horribly wrong” with his son.
He told The Daily Mail: “Something’s gone horribly wrong with our son and we are trying to figure out what. We’ve not had a chance to speak to him but are trying to get him the help he needs.”
“From our perspective, we are going through a difficult time. We are trying to resolve this issue and it’s not easy” he said.
His 19-year-old son, Jaswant Singh Chail, had scaled the walls of the castle on December 25, while the Queen was having breakfast and was immediately apprehended by security. He had a crossbow with him when he was arrested. Metropolitan Police said the young man has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act.
He had allegedly posted a Snapchat video 24 minutes earlier in which he identified himself as Indian Sikh Jaswant Singh Chail and said he wanted to “assassinate” the Queen as revenge for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar in 1919.
Known to friends as Jas, he is said to have digitally distorted his voice and worn a hoodie and mask – an outfit thought to be inspired by Star Wars.
In the video he says: “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for what I’ve done and what I will do. I will attempt to assassinate Elizabeth, Queen of the Royal Family. This is revenge for those who have died in the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre.”
“It is also revenge for those who have been killed, humiliated and discriminated on because of their race. I’m an Indian Sikh, a Sith,” he said.
The Sun has quoted neighbours of Chail, saying, the father had been worried about his son.
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“The dad mentioned how difficult it was getting his son involved in anything positive or trying to motivate him,” they said and added, “he said his son was spending more time alone in his room on social media and the lockdown had made this worse.”
Jasbir Singh Chail, 57, is a software engineer who runs an IT company from the family’s £500,000 four-bed home on a private estate in the village of North Baddesley, Hampshire.
Meanwhile, Home Secretary Priti Patel has ordered a review of the current rules surrounding crossbow ownership. Crossbows are often referred to as “lethal but legal” because they require no licence or registration and can be bought on the internet with ease. At present anyone over the age of 18 can purchase a crossbow without any regulatory checks or license. They are easily available on online portals like Amazon for £60 while specialised retailers also sell them for higher prices.
In a statement, a Home Office spokesman said they have been instructed to look at ways to strengthen control on these weapons.
