THE RCMP Federal Policing – Pacific Region told The VOICE on Monday that on September 12, families of the victims of the 1985 Air India bombing met with RCMP representatives in Toronto for an update on the investigation that has spanned four decades.
The RCMP said: “The meeting was held as part of the RCMP’s commitment to transparency, and our ongoing efforts to share information with those most directly affected by this tragedy.”
On June 23, 1985, Air India Flight 182 that departed from Canada en route to India exploded and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Ireland, killing all 329 passengers and crew (of which 82 were children below the age of 13), including 268 Canadian citizens, 27 British citizens, 22 American citizens and 24 Indian citizens.
Around the same time, on board a second aircraft that had departed Canada, a suitcase transiting through Japan’s Narita Airport exploded, killing two baggage handlers.
The RCMP said: “Family members were provided with an update concerning an individual (widely referred to as Mr. X) who had come to the attention of investigators. Over time, while an individual was identified, no definitive link to the events under investigation could be established.”
They added: “Today, while there are no other persons of interest or suspects under consideration, the investigation remains open. If new or credible information comes forward, it will be investigated.”
The RCMP said that they have “always endeavoured to seek justice for the victims of Air India and that commitment stands.”
LAST year in June, The VOICE reported that the RCMP told the media that the mysterious suspect known as “Mr. X” who was with convicted Air India bombmaker Inderjit Singh Reyat had died before facing charges.
Media reported that police said in an email that investigators had “uncovered information related to a suspect they believe was involved in testing an explosive device prior to the Air India terrorist attack on June 23, 1985.”
The suspect remains unnamed because police did not have enough evidence to unequivocally confirm that he was indeed the person.
In his 2003 testimony at the Air India trial, Reyat said that Talwinder Singh Parmar (who is considered the mastermind of the Air India bombing plot and who was apparently murdered by Indian police in Punjab before he could be charged by the RCMP) asked him to make an explosive device in 1984 and that he agreed because he was very upset at the way the Indian government had treated Sikhs. He said he bought material for the device and claimed that Parmar did not tell him what it would be used for. When Reyat tested the explosive device, the mysterious “Mr. X” was present.
