Two Acquitted in Air India Bombing
In 1985, two Air India planes were bombed, killing 331 people. Today, after a two-year, $130 million trial, two men accused of the bombing were found not guilty.
Justice Ian Bruce Josephson of the British Columbia Supreme Court said he simply did not believe the testimony of witnesses who linked the men to the two bombs. Calling them inconsistent, he said the accounts surfaced too late to be credible.
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The star witness in the criminal trial of Malik and Bagri was a woman who was in love with Malik and testified that he told her: "We had Air India crash." Fearing for her life, she is now in a witness protection program.
On Wednesday, the judge labelled the woman's testimony unbelievable, given that she said she still loved and respected him while testifying against him.
"That surprise edges toward incredulity," Josephson said, pointing out how strong and intelligent the unnamed woman appeared to be in court.
"She has not been truthful with court and I am unable to rely on her evidence."
Public safety minister Ann McLellan is considering calls for a public inquiry into the case. In his verdict, Justice Josephson criticized the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) for destroying wiretap evidence prompting some to believe the case had been bungled by CSIS and the RCMP. Meanwhile, the British Columbia Attorney General is considering grounds for appeal.
The bombing is believed to be in retaliation for Indias 1984 raid on the Golden Shrine of Amritsar, the holiest shrine in Sikhism. The bombing was the worlds worst airline terror attack prior to 9-11. The man believed to be the mastermind of the attack was killed by Indian police in 1992.
The family of one of the acquitted men, Ripudaman Singh Malik, has issued a statement at notguitly.org.
Comments
2low
Etobicoke, ON
February 2005
MAR 18, 2005 08:41 AM
n2ocowboy
Canada
September 2003
MAR 18, 2005 09:02 AM
n2ocowboy
Canada
September 2003
MAR 18, 2005 09:03 AM