Latest news with #AirIndiaBombing
CTV News
25-06-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Memorial for Air India bombing victims
A memorial gathering for victims of the Air India bombing saw Vancouver police keep demonstrators away from mourners at Stanley Park.
CBC
24-06-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Most Canadians don't know about the Air India bombing: poll
40 years on from the Air India bombing, some in B.C. fear history is being forgotten. An Angus Reid Poll survey finds few Canadians, around one-in-five, are able to identify the tragedy as the deadliest terror attack Canada has endured. To help us better understand this, CBC News spoke to Sachi Kurl who is the president of the Angus Reid Institute.
CBC
23-06-2025
- General
- CBC
'My kids haven't heard about this': 40 years after Air India bombing, community demands recognition
Social Sharing A coalition of B.C.-based faith groups and community members are calling on the province to build a large memorial and education centre to honour the victims of the 1985 Air India bombing, considered the worst terrorist attack in Canada's history. The campaign, launched ahead of the June 23 anniversary, is urging Premier David Eby to commit to a space that would recognize the tragedy and help future generations understand its impact. Majar Sidhu, who lost his sister, a nephew and a niece in the terrorist attack, says he worries the history is being forgotten. "People like me in our 50s and 60s know," he said in a Punjabi-language interview. "But people under 40 don't." Sidhu, a Vancouver resident, says the bombing is often perceived as a tragedy affecting the Indian community, even though the majority of people on board the flight were Canadians. "To this day it's known as Air India tragedy — but it's part of Canadian history," Sidhu said. On June 23, 1985, a bomb exploded in the hold of Air India Flight 182, killing 329 people. Among the dead were 280 Canadians and 86 children, with the flight en route to India after stops in Toronto and Montreal. For Sidhu, a provincial learning centre would be a meaningful start and a step toward national recognition that will create more empathy and understanding for Canadians. Multiple faith groups join calls "For my kids, who are growing up and going to school here in B.C., they have not heard about this," said Surrey resident Vijoy Chakraborty. "They need to know." Chakraborty, an occupational therapist who immigrated from India, says his own understanding of the tragedy began during a visit to the Air India memorial near Cork, Ireland, nearly two decades ago. That's where the wreckage of Flight 182 fell into the Atlantic Ocean after the bomb exploded on board. "I was absolutely spellbound when I reached there," Chakraborty said of the memorial in Cork. "The local people had kept that memorial in such a pristine way, with warmth and respect." Chakraborty says B.C. has a responsibility to maintain a large memorial of its own, given the province's deep ties to the bombing. Investigations found that the bomb that brought down the flight was made in the province, and the only person ever convicted in the case, Inderjit Singh Reyat, lived in Duncan, B.C. "There is a lot of onus on B.C. to create something that will educate people, our kids, our future generations," he said. Other organizations, including local Hindu and Sikh groups, are supporting the campaign. The Khalsa Diwan Society has written to the premier calling for the creation of a provincial learning centre. "We feel that they are next generation has and should have an information centre where they can learn about the the tragedy," said Jagdeep Sanghera, secretary of the Sikh charitable society. Yogesh Bhatia, a volunteer with Vedic Sevaks, echoed that sentiment. "Those who were killed, their families still deserve something," he said. "That's why we are asking [for this] so that our future generations know that violence of any type can create a massive ripple effect in the society." WATCH | Anatomy of the Air India bombing: Two suitcases: Anatomy of the Air India bombing | FULL DOCUMENTARY 5 days ago Duration 44:08 On June 23, 1985, Air India Flight 182 took off from a Montreal airport. As it approached Ireland, a bomb in a suitcase exploded in its hold. All 329 people aboard the plane were killed. It's been called Canada's 'worst act of terrorism' and remains the deadliest attack in Canadian history — but an inquiry showed how the investigation into it fell apart. In a statement to CBC News, the province said it would work with communities and organizations impacted by this tragedy "to better understand how we can continue to work to educate future generations." "It is important to acknowledge this tragic part of our history and learn from it so tragedies like this are never repeated," the statement reads. Investigation ongoing Only one person was convicted in the bombing case: B.C. man Reyat, who served a total of 30 years in prison for a combination of manslaughter, perjury and his role in constructing the bombs, before his release in January 2016. Two others, Ajaib Singh Bagri and Ripudaman Singh Malik, were acquitted of murder and conspiracy charges. A Canadian inquiry commission identified Talwinder Singh Parmar, a B.C. man linked to the Sikh separatist Khalistan movement, as the mastermind behind the attack. Parmar was killed, allegedly in a gunfight, by Indian police in 1992. Malik was shot dead in Surrey, B.C., in July 2022. RCMP continue to investigate the bombings, according to Sgt. Vanessa Munn.
National Post
23-06-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Majority of Canadians say Air India bombing not treated like national tragedy: poll
Article content In the aftermath of the attack, only one person, Inderjit Singh Reyat, was convicted, and he pleaded guilty to manslaughter for a bombing that killed two Japanese airport workers at Narita International Airport; it was supposed to bring down a second Air India flight. Only 29 per cent of Canadians can report accurately that nobody was convicted; in 2023, when pollsters asked the same question, 34 per cent knew the truth. Article content Seventy-one per cent believe there should be an exhibit about the bombing at the Canadian Museum of History and 65 per cent say it should be taught in schools. Fewer of those polled, just 41 per cent, support displaying wreckage from the bombed plane in Canada. Article content There are a number of conspiracies about the Air India bombing, and the polling finds that 51 per cent of those polled believe there is too much disinformation about what really happened. One conspiracy theory blames the Indian government for the attack. In fact, 10 per cent of Canadians believe the Indian government was behind the attack, while 28 per cent correctly identify violent factions within the Khalistan movement. (Sixty-one per cent of Canadians say they don't know who was responsible.) Article content Article content There will be ceremonies across the country to mark the anniversary of the bombing, and 13 per cent of Canadians say they would be interested in attending a memorial service, a number that holds roughly consistent across the country, except in Atlantic Canada, where 21 per cent say they would be interested. Such services have led to controversy as some attendees in the past have belonged to the Sikhs for Justice group, which supports the establishment of a Sikh homeland, and which believes one of the alleged architects of the attack is in fact innocent. Article content Sixty-three per cent of Canadians say it is inappropriate for Khalistan supporters to attend such a memorial, including 69 per cent of those who say they know a lot about the Air India bombing. Article content 'It's striking to see that in five or 10 years, a lot of the people who have tried to carry this torch of awareness while at the same time continuing to grieve for their loved ones, they're going to be gone. They're not going to be here anymore,' said Kurl. Article content Article content The polling was conducted online between June 13 and June 15, 2025, among a sample of 1,607 Canadian adults. The sample was weighted to be representative of adults nationwide according to region, gender, age, household income, and education, based on the Canadian census. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/- two percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Article content
Times of Oman
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Canada labels Khalistani extremists a national security threat for the first time
In a notable shift, Canada has officially identified 'Khalistani extremists' as a national security threat in its latest intelligence report. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), in its 2025 annual report to Parliament, stated that although there were no Khalistani extremist-related attacks within Canada in 2024, the continued involvement of Canada-based individuals in violent activities remains a serious threat to Canadian national security and interests. This marks the first time the Canadian government has explicitly referred to Khalistanis as 'extremists.' The report noted that only a small number of individuals are categorized as such, based on their use of Canadian territory to promote, fundraise for, or plan violent actions—primarily targeting India. India has long raised concerns about the presence and activities of Khalistani extremists in Canada. Over the years, New Delhi has submitted more than 20 extradition requests involving individuals linked to terrorism and violence, including those associated with the 1985 Air India bombing, which killed 329 people. The CSIS report further stated that these Canada-based Khalistani extremists (CBKEs) aim to establish an independent state of Khalistan, primarily in Punjab, India, using or supporting violent methods. It also highlighted that both real and perceived threats from Khalistani extremism have fueled Indian concerns about foreign interference in Canada. This acknowledgment by Canadian intelligence may help address India's longstanding complaints and improve diplomatic relations. The announcement coincides with a recent meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Alberta. The leaders agreed to restore diplomatic ties, including appointing new high commissioners and resuming trade negotiations. Relations between the two nations had significantly deteriorated after former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar—claims that were never substantiated with public evidence.
