More than four decades after the devastating Air India Flight 182 bombing, Canada has officially acknowledged that Canada-based Khalistani extremists were responsible for the 1985 terror attack that killed 329 people. The admission, made by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) in its latest public report, marks the first time Ottawa has explicitly identified the perpetrators in an official document.
The bombing of Air India Flight 182, also known as the Kanishka tragedy, remains the deadliest terrorist attack in Canadian history and one of the worst acts of aviation terrorism worldwide. On June 23, 1985, a bomb exploded aboard the aircraft over the Atlantic Ocean while it was flying from Montreal to London, killing everyone on board. Most of the victims were Canadian citizens of Indian origin, including many children and families travelling to India for holidays.
For decades, India maintained that the attack was carried out by Khalistani extremists operating from Canada. However, successive Canadian governments avoided publicly naming the movement in official statements, even while investigations pointed towards members of the banned Babbar Khalsa group. The latest CSIS report states that the suspects were members of Canada-based Khalistani extremist groups, signalling a significant change in Canada’s public position.
The acknowledgement comes at a time when Canada is reviewing security threats linked to extremist networks. The report also notes that some Canada-based Khalistani extremists continue to use the country to raise funds, spread propaganda and support activities linked to violent extremism abroad, including against India.
The development is being viewed as an important moment in India-Canada relations. Analysts say it validates India’s long-standing concerns about Khalistani extremism and could influence Ottawa’s future approach towards extremist organisations operating from Canadian soil. While the victims’ families have waited decades for justice, the latest acknowledgement is seen as a significant step towards recognising the truth behind one of the darkest chapters in both countries’ history.
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