A newly-surfaced video has spotlighted rabid missionary, U.S. preacher Daniel Stephen Courney, an Army veteran, allegedly fueling violence in Manipur under the guise of religious activities. The video reportedly shows Daniel Courney distributing drones and bulletproof vests to insurgents, raising suspicions of a covert geopolitical agenda. Experts have linked Courney’s actions to a broader U.S. strategy, suggesting that the CIA is exploiting religious divisions in the region to incite conflict and promote separatism.
The situation in Manipur echoes warnings from Bangladesh’s Sheikh Hasina about efforts to establish a “separate Christian state” encompassing parts of Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern Bharat. Analysts argue that these actions align with a U.S. agenda to pressure Bharat into a subordinate role in its strategic rivalry with China. This alleged plot includes stoking Hindu persecution in Bangladesh and deepening inter-community tensions in Manipur.
Courney’s alleged involvement in Manipur has been characterized as an attempt to turn local conflicts into an international religious issue, further destabilizing the region.
Who is Daniel Stephen Courney?
Daniel Stephen Courney, a rabid evangelist originally from New York, USA, has garnered significant attention for his proselytization activities, particularly in Bharat and Nepal. His methods, often intrusive and provocative, have drawn criticism and legal actions in multiple countries. Below is a comprehensive account of his life, activities, and controversies.
Courney served as a combat medic in the US Army. During his tenure, he was allegedly placed in a psychiatric ward due to his persistent preaching activities. His fervent evangelical mission has been a defining characteristic throughout his life, influencing his actions both within and beyond the military.
Courney first arrived in Bharat on August 27, 2009, on a tourist visa. He was hosted by a pastor friend in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, where he lived in a remote village for several months. Advised to marry locally to secure a dual citizenship advantage, his marriage was arranged with the pastor’s niece, Anusha, in late 2009. Courney and Anusha have six children, many named after religious figures from Abrahamic traditions. His family frequently accompanies him on his missionary trips, including to areas of conflict like Manipur and Naxal-affected regions in Chhattisgarh.
Rabid missionary activities in Bharat
Courney’s missionary work in Bharat has been focused on tribal and remote regions, including Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Mizoram, and Manipur. His outreach often includes distributing religious materials, such as Bibles, and advocating Christianity in public places.
In August 2023, Courney traveled to Assam and Manipur, reportedly with assistance from a West Bengal official linked to the International Human Rights Council. On August 3, he distributed 50 Assamese New Testaments at Guwahati Railway Station. By August 5, he was in Senapati, Manipur, where he posted a video criticizing the central government, describing it as a “Radical Hindu Government” responsible for violence against Christians. He claimed that at least 400 churches were destroyed and hundreds of Christians killed, seeking foreign funds for relief efforts. He further alleged systemic persecution against Christians and the Kuki tribal community, accusing the ruling BJP government of attempting to homogenize Bharat as a Hindu nation.
Distribution of drones and bulletproof vests
A video circulating on social media shows Courney distributing bulletproof vests and drone to Kuki militants in Manipur.
The drone was reportedly meant to monitor the movement of “enemies,” i.e., Meitei Hindus.
While these actions sparked concerns about his role in exacerbating ethnic tensions, there was no clear evidence of illegality in the purchases.
Legal issues and deportation
Courney’s missionary activities have not been without legal consequences. In 2017, following a complaint by the Legal Rights Protection Forum, he was deported from Bharat and blacklisted for his conversion-related activities. Despite this, he managed to re-enter via Assam in 2023, having established a base in Nepal during the interim.
International Controversies
Courney’s controversial methods have extended beyond Bharat.
- United States: In 2018, he was convicted of religious and racially motivated public order offenses. In 2021, he was apprehended in Englewood, New Jersey, for operating a drone with a camera and speaker to harass an abortion clinic. He was subsequently barred from coming within 25 feet of the clinic. That same year, he was charged for violating anti-bias intimidation statutes by shouting homophobic slurs at a salon owner and employee.
- Israel: He has been filmed preaching in Jerusalem and other cities, often provoking confrontations with locals and law enforcement.
Courney actively uses social media to document his missionary activities, solicit funds, and share his views. His posts often claim persecution, including physical assaults and harassment. He portrays himself as a determined missionary, undeterred by obstacles such as beatings, imprisonment, or legal actions.
His YouTube channel, Fool for Christ, and Facebook page reveal his extensive connections within global missionary circles. Videos showcase his street preaching and efforts to convert people in crowded public areas, including Delhi, Odisha, and Manipur. He has repeatedly referred to Bharat as the “least evangelized” and “covered in darkness,” seeking financial aid to expand his missions.
Bangladesh’s Sheikh Hasina alleges foreign conspiracy to carve out ‘Christian Nation‘
In May 2024, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh made a striking claim that sent ripples through both international and domestic political circles. She accused a “white man” of conspiring to create a Christian state by carving out portions of Bharat, Bangladesh and Myanmar. This accusation brought attention not only to Bangladesh’s tense political landscape but also to the complex web of international relations and power struggles in South Asia.
Sources revealed a long-term Western project to establish a Christian state for the ‘Zo’ people in contiguous areas of Myanmar, Bangladesh, and India. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recently likened this to the creation of East Timor. Awami League leaders and intelligence officials from India and Bangladesh suggest this conspiracy involves creating a ‘Zogam’ homeland for the Kuki-Chin-Mizo people (collectively called ‘Zo’), covering Myanmar’s Chin state, Mizoram in India, Manipur, and Bangladesh’s Bandarban and Chittagong areas.
Militancy by Kuki-Chin groups like the Chinland Joint Defence Committee and the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) fuels unrest in Myanmar and Bangladesh, while Kuki militants escalate violence in India’s Manipur. The Mizoram-based Zo Reunification Organisation (ZRO) and major political parties in Mizoram support the aspiration for a unified homeland. Intelligence agencies allege that U.S.-based Church bodies and the CIA back this project. Hasina revealed Western pressure for a U.S. air base on St Martin’s Island, which she rejected, despite assurances of smooth political transitions.
Western nations criticized Bangladesh’s elections, backing the opposition BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami while demanding a caretaker regime. However, with support from India and China, Hasina ensured an Awami League victory. Analysts argue the U.S. sees a Christian state in the region as a counterbalance to Buddhist Myanmar’s alignment with China and Muslim-majority Bangladesh’s resistance to Western influence.
The KNF in Bangladesh has shifted from advocacy to terrorism, engaging in drug trafficking, arms trade, and training Islamist groups. Its collaboration with Myanmar’s Karen National Liberation Army and Chin militant outfits strengthens its operational capacity. KNF militants assist Christian missionaries in forcibly converting animist and Buddhist groups like the Chakmas, Tiprasas, and Khumis, merging them into a larger Kuki-Chin-Zo identity. This mirrors past tactics in India’s Manipur, where Kukis assimilated smaller tribes into the Zo identity through conflict.
Using persecution narratives, Kuki-Chin militants garner international sympathy, drawing financial and logistical support for separatist ambitions. Their strategy resembles East Timor’s creation, where forced conversions and international backing culminated in independence. Experts warn of escalating violence in India, Myanmar, and Bangladesh, potentially triggering Western intervention. Hasina’s warnings have prompted intelligence agencies in India and Bangladesh to coordinate efforts to counter this destabilizing plan, which threatens the subcontinent’s geopolitical balance.
Presence of Daniel Courney & Sheikh Hasina’s Claim – Is there a link?
Daniel Stephen Courney’s presence in the northeast of Bharat has raised significant concerns due to his involvement in exacerbating ethnic and religious tensions in Manipur and neighboring regions. Despite facing legal troubles and deportations, Courney has continued his missionary activities in Bharat and Nepal, which have sparked alarms about the geopolitical ramifications of his actions. His distribution of drones, bulletproof vests, and military-grade equipment to Kuki militants in Manipur, under the guise of religious outreach, suggests deeper and more troubling motivations. These actions appear to go beyond evangelism, potentially serving a broader agenda that fuels local conflicts and aligns with larger geopolitical forces.
Courney’s activities in Manipur reflect a pattern of foreign influence in the subcontinent, utilizing religion to destabilize the region. His support for militants and ongoing proselytization seem to align with an alleged strategy aimed at manipulating regional tensions for strategic gain. Sheikh Hasina’s allegations of a foreign plot to establish a Christian-majority state gain further significance when considering Courney’s role in intensifying ethnic and religious divisions.
