Families of Air India bombing want public inquiry into case

By JEREMY HAINSWORTH
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Families of the victims of the Air India bombing urged Canada to hold a new investigation into Canada's worst mass murder, a day after the two men accused in the attack were acquitted.

Susheel Gupta, whose mother died in the bombing 20 years ago, said Thursday the government needs to ensure the same kind of tragedy doesn't happen again. Gupta said authorities should investigate baggage security and screening systems and what he called a lack of cooperation between Canada's intelligence agency and police.

"There are now two crimes we must contend with: the murder of 329 innocent persons and the time it has taken to answer the questions how and why," Gupta said.

But Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan suggested Thursday there won't be an inquiry.

McLellan said she doubts an inquiry would uncover anything not already disclosed by the lengthy trial. McLellan said "lessons have been learned" and that the government has already acted to ensure it won't happen again."

On June 23, 1985, Air India Flight 182 from Vancouver to London exploded off Ireland, killing all 329 people on board.

An hour earlier, a bomb in baggage intended for another Air India flight exploded in the Narita airport in Tokyo, killing two baggage handlers. The bombings were the deadliest terrorist strikes before the Sept. 11 attacks.

On Wednesday, two Indian-born Sikhs, Ripudaman Singh Malik, 58, and Ajaib Singh Bagri, 55, were acquitted.

British Columbia Supreme Court Justice Ian Josephson said the prosecution's key witnesses were not credible. Prosecutors have 30 days to appeal the decision.

Eddie Madon, who lost his father in the bombing, said the Canadian justice system has failed the families.

Lata Pada, who lost her husband, said there must be an inquiry into what she called "severe and unforgivable" lapses in the system.

"The government needs to be held accountable," Pada said.

Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin had little to offer family members on Wednesday, leaving the question of an inquiry to McLellan.

Canada's Parliamentary Opposition leader, Stephen Harper, criticized the government.

"The serious questions that have been raised about the investigation into the bombing deserve to be finally and unequivocally answered. I believe that the best mechanism to do so would be through a public inquiry," Harper said.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police spokesman John Ward said the force was disappointed with the verdict. Ward said 15 investigators continue working on the case.

"We stand behind our investigation," he said. "We're confident in the work we have done. Our investigation is not concluded. I'm not prepared to say at this time that our investigation was flawed."