Air India Flight 182

Air India Flight 182 was a Boeing 747 that exploded on June 23, 1985 while at an altitude of 31,000 feet (9500 m) above the Atlantic Ocean, south of Ireland; all 329 on board were killed, of whom 82 were children and 280 were Canadian citizens. The explosion caused by a bomb placed in checked baggage was the single largest terrorist attack before those of September 11, 2001, and the largest mass murder in Canadian history. It occurred within an hour of the Narita Airport Bombing.

Timeline of the Trials

The bombing of Air India Flight 182 and the Narita airport launched several investigations, inquiries and trials. The trial of Malik and Bagri is known as the Air India Trial; Trial events relating to the bombings are listed below in chronological order.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

November 8, 1985 – The RCMP charge Talwinder Singh Parmar and Inderjit Singh Reyat with weapons, explosives and conspiracy offences after a raid on their homes. Reyat is convicted of the weapons offence and receives a fine of two thousand dollars. Due to lack of evidence the charges against Parmar are dropped and no link to Air India is established.

Related Topics:
November 8 - 1985 - RCMP - Talwinder Singh Parmar - Inderjit Singh Reyat

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

January 22, 1986 – The Canadian Aviation Safety Board determines that a bomb was responsible for bringing down Air India 182.

Related Topics:
January 22 - 1986 - Canadian Aviation Safety Board

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

February 4, 1986 – The Indian Government's Kirpal Commission of Inquiry reaches the same conclusion as the Canadian Aviation Safety Board.

Related Topics:
February 4 - 1986 - Canadian Aviation Safety Board

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

February 1988 – Inderjit Singh Reyat is arrested by British police in Coventry, England.

Related Topics:
February 1988 - Inderjit Singh Reyat - Coventry

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

December 8, 1989 – Following a lengthy court battle the British government agrees to extradite Reyat to Canada.

Related Topics:
December 8 - 1989

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

May 10, 1991 – Inderjit Singh Reyat receives a ten year sentence after being convicted of two counts of manslaughter and four explosives charges relating to the Narita Airport bombing.

Related Topics:
May 10 - 1991 - Inderjit Singh Reyat

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

October 15, 1992 – Talwinder Singh Parmar is killed by Indian Police during a gun battle in Bombay.

Related Topics:
October 15 - 1992 - Talwinder Singh Parmar

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

October 27, 2000 – Ripudaman Singh Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri are arrested by the RCMP. They are charged with 329 counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of the people on board Air India Flight 182, the conspiracy to murder, the attempted murder of passengers and crew on the Canadian Pacific flight at Japan's New Tokyo International Airport (now Narita International Airport), and charged with two counts of murder of the baggage handlers at New Tokyo International Airport.

Related Topics:
October 27 - 2000 - Ripudaman Singh Malik - Ajaib Singh Bagri - Narita International Airport

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

June 4, 2001 – The British government gives Canada permission to charge Inderjit Singh Reyat in connection with the bombings.

Related Topics:
June 4 - 2001 - Inderjit Singh Reyat

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

June 6, 2001 – Inderjit Singh Reyat is arrested by the RCMP facing charges of murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy in the Air India bombing.

Related Topics:
June 6 - 2001 - Inderjit Singh Reyat - RCMP

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

February 10, 2003 – Reyat pleads guilty to one count of manslaughter and a charge of aiding in the construction of a bomb. He was sentenced to five years in jail. At the time he was expected to provide testimony in the trial of Malik and Bagri but later claimed he couldn't remember.

Related Topics:
February 10 - 2003

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

April 2003 – The trial of Malik and Bagri begins after being delayed by pre-trial motions and problems with defense counsel.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

May 18, 2004 – The crown rests its case in the trial of Malik and Bagri after calling 80 witnesses.

Related Topics:
May 18 - 2004

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

May 31, 2004 – Malik and Bagri's defense begins.

Related Topics:
May 31 - 2004

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

October 19, 2004 – Closing arguments begin.

Related Topics:
October 19 - 2004

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

December 4, 2004 – The judge presiding over the Air India Trial, Justice Ian Josephson says the verdict will be delivered on March 16 2005.

Related Topics:
December 4 - 2004 - Air India Trial - Justice Ian Josephson - March 16 - 2005

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

March 16, 2005 – Justice Ian Josephson delivers the verdict for Ripudaman Singh Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri: Not guilty on all counts.

Related Topics:
March 16 - 2005 - Ripudaman Singh Malik - Ajaib Singh Bagr

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I began by describing the horrific nature of these cruel acts of terrorism, acts which cry out for justice. Justice is not achieved, however, if persons are convicted on anything less than the requisite standard of proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Despite what appear to have been the best and most earnest of efforts by the police and the Crown, the evidence has fallen markedly short of that standard. http://www.courts.gov.bc.ca/Jdb-txt/SC/05/03/2005BCSC0350.htm

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~