A GROUP of Sikhs who slashed the throat of a former Indian military general in a 'pre-planned' revenge attack have been convicted.

Retired Lieutenant-General Kuldip Singh Brar was stabbed whilst on his way back to his hotel in London's West End with his wife, Meena, on the evening of September 30 last year.

Harjit Kaur, 39, of Berwick Avenue, Hayes, was convicted of wounding with intent, with Mandeep Singh Sandhu, 35, of Great Barr, Birmingham, and Dilbag Singh, 37. Kaur spied on the former Army officer as he travelled around London in the days before the attack.

Another man, Barjinder Singh Sangha, 34, of Barcroft Road, Wolverhampton, admitted to his part in the vicious ambush, and an assault charge will also lie on file.

The court heard that the group attacked Mr Brar in retaliation for events that occurred in India during his military career.

In particular, he led a controversial siege at Golden Temple in Amritsar in 1984, codenamed Operation Blue Star, in which 500 people were killed.

The group became aware that Mr Brar was on holiday in London, and carried out reconnaissance on the area where he was staying on September 28 and 29.

On September 30, Mrs Kaur followed the Brars around London and updated her cohorts with regular about the couples movements and locations using mobile phones.

At around 10.30pm that evening, As the Brars passed the group on Old Quebec Street as they made their way to their hotel, Sangha grabbed Meena Brar, 68, and held her by the throat against a wall.

Sangha then joined the others in attacking Mr Brar, who fought back in self-defence, and he pulled a knife and slashed Mr Brars neck.

They then fled on foot towards Oxford Street.

He suffered a deep cut across his throat that ran from just below his left ear and finished below, and to the right of his adams apple.

There was also a second deep cut from his left ear across his cheek, but he survived.

An investigation by the Mets Counter Terrorism Command (SO15) led to the arrests of 13 men and two women in London and the West Midlands. The remaining suspects were later released with no further action.

The verdicts were given at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday last week (July 31) following a trial which started on July 16. They will all be sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on 19 September.

Commander Richard Walton, head of SO15, said: "This was a vicious politically-motivated attack that very nearly killed Lieutenant-General Brar.

"It was pre-planned and organised, but thankfully unsuccessful. General Brar was brave throughout the attack and again during the court case. We are pleased that justice has been done."