Inderjit Singh Reyat Gets Bail

[sadh ka sang]

<H1 class=headline>Convicted Air India bomb-builder Inderjit Singh Reyat gets bail</H1><H4 class="lastupdated clearfix">Last Updated: Wednesday, July 9, 2008 | 4:30 PM ET Comments101Recommend59</H4><H5 class=byline>CBC News </H5>

The B.C. Court of Appeal has ruled convicted Air India bomb-builder Inderjit Singh Reyat is to be released on bail. (Canadian Press) The B.C. Court of Appeal has granted bail to Inderjit Singh Reyat, the only person convicted in the Air India bombings.

"He's been in jail a long time.… He doesn't know yet, but I'm sure that he'll be pleased when he hears," said his lawyer, Ian Donaldson, outside the Vancouver court after Wednesday's decision."

Inderjit Singh Reyat served more than 20 years in jail for two manslaughter convictions for his part in building the bombs that detonated aboard Air India Flight 185 and at Narita International Airport in Tokyo in 1985.

Three-hundred and thirty-one people, 329 of them aboard the Air India flight, were killed that day in the worst such attack in Canada's history.

Reyat had finished serving his sentence, but he remained behind bars awaiting trial for perjury for his testimony in the trial that acquitted two other men of murder in the bombings.

Reyat is accused of lying 27 times during the trial of Ripudaman Singh Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri.

Justice Ian Josephson labelled Reyat an "unmitigated liar under oath" in his ruling acquitting Malik and Bagri of the bombing deaths.

In March, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Patrick Dohm denied Reyat bail on the perjury charges on the grounds that his detention was necessary to maintain confidence in the justice system.

Reyat's lawyer asked the B.C. Court of Appeal in June to reconsider, and on Wednesday the B.C. Court overturned that earlier decision and granted Reyat bail.

Bail conditions not yet released

The conditions of Reyat's bail haven't been released, but they are expected to be strict, according to B.C. Attorney General Wally Oppal

The Attorney General said the Crown opposed the granting of bail to Inderjit Singh Reyat for several reasons.

"Because of the nature of the crime that was committed, because the lawyers in the ministry felt it would be contrary to the public interest to have him released; as well, there was concern on the part of the lawyers relating to his background," Oppal told the CBC on Wednesday morning.

Reyat's trial on the perjury charges is scheduled for next January. A further appeal of the decision to grant bail to the Supreme Court of Canada was unlikely, but the final decision will be up to special prosecutor Len Doust, who is handling the case for the Crown, Oppal said

"You can always appeal these things, but it's not normally done," said Oppal. "There has to be some serious error in law before something like that is done. And while I haven't seen the reasons, it is rare for appeals on bail to be granted from the Court of Appeal."

But Ujjal Dosanjh, the federal Liberal's public safety critic and a former B.C. attorney general, said he expects the B.C. Crown to appeal Reyat's release to the Supreme Court of Canada.

Victims families still have questions

Bal Gupta, the chairman of the Air India Victims Families Association, said Reyat's release was worrying.

"Well I just got news about five minutes ago and … the concern is, No. 1, that he may leave the country, and the second thing is that he'll be free to consult and bond with the other conspirators of this Air India bombing," he said.

Rene Saklikar, whose aunt and uncle were killed in the bombing, told CBC that Reyat's release was troubling for her.

"I'm deeply uneasy, and I just have a lot of questions. I'm unclear on how this happened, and it's painful. And I want to stress that it's painful not just for the families, but for all citizens," said Saklikar.

"We have to ask ourselves what is going on in our justice system," said Saklikar. "Will the Air India epic— it's a saga now — will it ever be resolved so there's justice?"

Bombs originated in Vancouver

It's believed the plot against Air India was hatched by militant Sikh extremists in B.C. who were allegedly retaliating against the government of India, which owns the airline, for a raid on the Golden Temple, the holiest shrine for the Sikh religion.

A total of 329 passengers and crew were killed when a luggage bomb exploded on Air India Flight 182, bringing the plane down off the coast of Ireland.

The unaccompanied luggage was originally placed on a connecting CP flight in Vancouver and was transferred onto Flight 182 in Toronto, along with many of the Vancouver passengers. The flight also made a stopover in Montreal before flying on to Heathrow airport in London.

A separate luggage bomb exploded at Narita airport while luggage was being transferred from an Air India flight, killing two baggage handlers.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/...reyat-bail.html

[Guest peacemaker]

Reyat is accused of lying 27 times during the trial of Ripudaman Singh Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri.

How is that even possible? :o As for Reyat being released, I have no comments out of respect for the families.

[TeriSharan.]

This is very good news, reyat is innocent and he deserves to be reunited with his wife. He has been through a lot!!

God bless the victims of the Air India plane crash and may they rest in peace!!

[Guest peacemaker]

Although, whether or not he knew what the materials were being used for is a different story.

How could he not have known?

[Singhballer]

My dear Brother.. its called Trickery .

[N30S1NGH]

This is very good news, reyat is innocent and he deserves to be reunited with his wife. He has been through a lot!!

God bless the victims of the Air India plane crash and may they rest in peace!!

He himself pleaded guilty for placing the bombs and you are telling he is innocent and to rub it in your next line is absolutely classic - God bless the victims of Air India.

Do you even reading what you writing?

I am sure you find mr reyat chardi-kalah gurmukh. I am sure you find him lying 27 times in the court absolutely fine all in name sake of revenge.

I wonder how could he sleep at night with 338 innocent victims blood on his hand.

Its about time you people need to put your jatha ties behind and show some morality. Total disgusting.

[THE WARRIOR]

He stated he built the bombs for Palmer but didn’t know what they were for!

I would like to ask him for what purpose do people make bombs!?

People who blindly support him and the likes of Palmer are truly blind consciously and morally. Because of the actions of these few and the ignorance of the Canadian Media, everyone else the rest of us have been tarnished with the same brush and are being associated with terrorists. As usual the actions of a small minority have tarnished the majority.

People need to wake up

BTW he lied 27 times under oath , 27 times after swearing to tell the truth by putting his hand on a Gutka!

[spamindersingh]

This is very good news, reyat is innocent and he deserves to be reunited with his wife. He has been through a lot!!

God bless the victims of the Air India plane crash and may they rest in peace!!

What like the AI victims deserved to die ?

Please stop your dribble as Reyat is not innocent, that is like saying a drug dealer is innocent as he only supplies the drugs, the dealer does not force people to take drugs and then start robbing to fund their habbit.

[Bob The Babba]

i am glad he is out, hasnt he paid his dues serving over 20 years which in england is normally a life sentance??? The whole air india trial was a stich up and the true murders are the indian intellegence agency and Lakbir Rode!!!!

[TeriSharan.]

He only pleaded guilty so his sentence could be reduced. The Indian Govt planted bomb materials in his garden and framed him into this case!!