Indian-born Sikhs Cleared In Plane Bombs

[Banda Singh]

Indian-Born Sikhs Cleared in Plane Bombs

By JEREMY HAINSWORTH

Associated Press Writer

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) - After a two-year trial, a Canadian judge on Wednesday acquitted two Indian-born Sikhs of murder and other charges in the deaths of 331 people killed in the bombings of an Air India plane over the Atlantic and at Tokyo's airport 20 years ago.

British Columbia Supreme Court Justice Ian Josephson said the prosecution's key witnesses were not credible. The bombings were the deadliest terrorist strike before the Sept. 11 attacks and were Canada's worst case of mass murder.

Spectators in the courtroom, including dozens of victims' relatives, gasped when the verdicts were read. Some started wailing.

The defendants - Ripudaman Singh Malik, 58, and Ajaib Singh Bagri, 55 - were immediately removed from the courtroom.

Air India Flight 182 from Montreal to London, originating in Vancouver, exploded and crashed off Ireland on June 23, 1985. All 329 people on board, mostly Canadians, were killed.

An hour earlier, a bomb in baggage intended for another Air India flight exploded in the Narita airport, killing two baggage handlers.

Source -

Guardian Unlimited

[nanakbhatti]

Indian-Born Sikhs Cleared in Plane Bombs

By JEREMY HAINSWORTH

Associated Press Writer

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) - After a two-year trial, a Canadian judge on Wednesday acquitted two Indian-born Sikhs of murder and other charges in the deaths of 331 people killed in the bombings of an Air India plane over the Atlantic and at Tokyo's airport 20 years ago.

British Columbia Supreme Court Justice Ian Josephson said the prosecution's key witnesses were not credible. The bombings were the deadliest terrorist strike before the Sept. 11 attacks and were Canada's worst case of mass murder.

Spectators in the courtroom, including dozens of victims' relatives, gasped when the verdicts were read. Some started wailing.

The defendants - Ripudaman Singh Malik, 58, and Ajaib Singh Bagri, 55 - were immediately removed from the courtroom.

Air India Flight 182 from Montreal to London, originating in Vancouver, exploded and crashed off Ireland on June 23, 1985. All 329 people on board, mostly Canadians, were killed.

An hour earlier, a bomb in baggage intended for another Air India flight exploded in the Narita airport, killing two baggage handlers.

Source -

Guardian Unlimited

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Waheguroo Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguroo Ji Ke Fateh