Canada has acknowledged the involvement of a Khalistani-linked pilot in the Air India Flight 182 bombing, one of the deadliest acts of aviation terrorism in history.

The development comes as the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) paid tribute to the victims of the 1985 Kanishka bombing. The attack killed 329 people, most of them Canadian citizens of Indian origin, and remains a defining chapter in Canada's counter-terrorism history.

The renewed focus on the tragedy has revived discussions around accountability, extremism, intelligence failures and the long-lasting impact of the Kanishka bombing.

Canada: Mark Carney backs ties with Iran, Venezuela

<p>One of the hitmen responsible for killing a man acquitted in the 1985 bombing of an Air India flight has been jailed for life in Canada. &nbsp;</p>
<p>Tanner Fox, 24, was convicted on Tuesday by a British Columbia Supreme Court judge, without the possibility of parole for 20 years.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Both he and his accomplice, Jose Lopez pleaded guilty last October to the second-degree murder of Sikh businessman Ripudaman Singh Malik in 2022.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/kanishka-terror-attack-anniversary-india-says-justice-awaited-trudeau-silent-on-perpetrators-734529" rel="dofollow">Kanishka terror attack anniversary: India says justice awaited; Trudeau silent on perpetrators</a></strong></p>
<p>Lopez will be sentenced on Friday.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They confessed that they were paid for killing Malik in a suburb of Vancouver in western Canada, however, they did not reveal who paid them to do so.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/terrorism-should-never-be-tolerated-jaishankar-on-39th-anniversary-of-kanishka-bombing-734439" rel="dofollow">Terrorism 'should never be tolerated': Jaishankar on 39th anniversary of Kanishka bombing</a></strong></p>
<h2>Who is Tanner Fox?</h2>
<p>Tanner Fox, 24, based in Thailand, was adopted when he was three years old by a couple residing in Abbotsford, British Columbia.</p>
<p>Reportedly, he apologised for his actions, saying, "I am sorry for all the pain and hurt that I have caused."</p>
<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kanishka-bombing-1985-investigation-active-and-ongoing-canadian-police-734155" rel="dofollow">Kanishka bombing 1985 investigation 'active and ongoing': Canadian police&nbsp;</a></strong></p>
<p>The prosecutor said that Fox and Lopez planned a "deliberate killing" of Malik.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"They were financially compensated for killing him," the prosecutor said, according to a report by BBC.</p>
<h2>Know about <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kanishka-bombing" rel="dofollow">Kanishka Bombing</a></h2>
<p>Air India Flight 182, travelling from Canada to India, blew up off the Irish Coast on June 23, 1985, killing all 329 people on board.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The jet disintegrated in midair just 45 minutes from its destination.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The aircraft operating the flight was a Boeing 747-237B registered VT-EFO and named Emperor Kanishka.</p>
<p>It was considered the deadliest aviation terrorism incident until the September 11, 2001 attacks in the US.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On the flight, most of the passengers were Canadians who were visiting relatives in India.&nbsp;</p>
<p>At the same time, another bomb exploded in Japan, killing two baggage handlers. The Air Indian bombing is believed to have been carried out by Khalistani extremists in retaliation for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in India.&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

World: 24-year-old Tanner Fox was convicted on Tuesday by a British Columbia Supreme Court judge, without the possibility of parole for 20 years. 

One of the hitmen responsible for killing a man acquitted in the 1985 bombing of an Air India flight has been jailed for life in Canada. Tanner Fox, 24, was convicted on Tuesday by a British Columbia Supreme Court judge, without the possibility of parole for 20 years. Both he and his accomplice, Jose Lopez pleaded guilty last October to the second-degree murder of Sikh businessman Ripudaman Singh Malik in 2022. Also read: Kanishka terror attack anniversary: India says justice awaited; Trudeau silent on perpetrators Lopez will be sentenced on Friday. They confessed that they were paid for killing Malik in a suburb of Vancouver in western Canada, however, they did not reveal who paid them to do so. Also read: Terrorism 'should never be tolerated': Jaishankar on 39th anniversary of Kanishka bombing Who is Tanner Fox? Tanner Fox, 24, based in Thailand, was adopted when he was three years old by a couple residing in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Reportedly, he apologised for his actions, saying, "I am sorry for all the pain and hurt that I have caused." Also read: Kanishka bombing 1985 investigation 'active and ongoing': Canadian police The prosecutor said that Fox and Lopez planned a "deliberate killing" of Malik. "They were financially compensated for killing him," the prosecutor said, according to a report by BBC. Know about Kanishka Bombing Air India Flight 182, travelling from Canada to India, blew up off the Irish Coast on June 23, 1985, killing all 329 people on board. The jet disintegrated in midair just 45 minutes from its destination. The aircraft operating the flight was a Boeing 747-237B registered VT-EFO and named Emperor Kanishka. It was considered the deadliest aviation terrorism incident until the September 11, 2001 attacks in the US. On the flight, most of the passengers were Canadians who were visiting relatives in India. At the same time, another bomb exploded in Japan, killing two baggage handlers. The Air Indian bombing is believed to have been carried out by Khalistani extremists in retaliation for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in India. (With inputs from agencies)

Who is Tanner Fox? Hitman sentenced to life for killing Air India Kanishka Bombing suspect

The 23rd of June, 2024 observes the anniversary of the Air India Flight 182 bombing, an event that remains one of the deadliest aviation incidents involving terrorism. It has been 39 years since the Kanishka, a Boeing 747-237B, was destroyed by a bomb while en route from Montreal to London, with final destinations in Delhi and Mumbai.

39 years since Air India Kanishka bombing: Air India flight disintegrated mid-air

39 years since Air India Kanishka bombing: One of the worst aviation tragedy

39 years since the Air India Kanishka bombing incident

<p>As Sunday (June 23) marked the 39th anniversary of the Kanishka Air India terror attack that happened in&nbsp;1985 and resulted in the death&nbsp;of 329 civilians, India renewed its call for justice for the victims and reiterated its stance of zero tolerance towards terrorism.&nbsp;The bomb planted by Canada-based Khalistani terrorists exploded mid-air off the coast of Ireland, killing all 329 people on board, including Indian nationals and many Indian-origin Canadian nationals. It remains Canada's worst terror attack and one of the worst aviation disasters of all time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar posted on social media, "Today marks the 39th anniversary of one of the worst acts of terrorism in history...The anniversary is a reminder why terrorism should never be tolerated."</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Today marks the 39th anniversary of one of the worst acts of terrorism in history.<br />
<br />
Pay my homage to the memory of the 329 victims of AI 182 ‘Kanishka’ who were killed this day in 1985. My thoughts are with their families.<br />
<br />
The anniversary is a reminder why terrorism should…</p>
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1804733627047317748?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Indian High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma led the memorial at the Air India Flight 182 monument at Commissioner's Park, Dow's Lake, Ottawa. Speaking at the sombre moment, he said, "The Kanishka bombing was a heinously planned cowardly attack carried out by individuals with a twisted ideology, aimed at striking fear and demonstrating power through violence. We still await full and desired justice to the families of the victims of the bombing."</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma paid homage to the victims of Air India flight 182 Kanishka in Ottawa today on the 39th anniversary of the cowardly terrorist bombing in which 329 innocent victims including 86 children, lost their lives.<br />
<br />
Addressing the gathering, High… <a href="https://t.co/iL4bpg86vh">pic.twitter.com/iL4bpg86vh</a></p>
— India in Canada (@HCI_Ottawa) <a href="https://twitter.com/HCI_Ottawa/status/1804939868935467162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Talwinder Singh Parmar, a Canadian national and the founder of the banned terrorist organisation Babbar Khalsa International was identified as the mastermind behind Canada's worst terror attack. Inderjit Singh Reyat was convicted of manslaughter in connection with the bombing and received a 15-year prison sentence in 2003. Reyat was released to the halfway house in 2016. Two other accused, Ripudaman Singh Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri, were both acquitted and found not guilty.</p>

<p>Since Reyat refused to testify against anyone else, he remained the only suspect to be convicted in the case.</p>

<p>The Indian high commissioner said, "No government in the world should overlook the threat of terrorism emanating from its territories for political gains. Human lives are much more important than the transitory political interests. All terrorist activities should be met with exemplary legal and social actions before they start harming the larger humanity."</p>

<p>The Indian high commission's remarks come even as India has been raising its concerns over space being given to extremist ideology in the North American country. Khalistan extremists have time and again held protests&nbsp;and issued threats against&nbsp;Indian diplomats in Canada and the Indian leadership. Recently, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau attended an event that saw pro-Khalistan chants, which saw Delhi summoning Canada's Deputy High Commissioner in New Delhi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Trudeau also issued a statement on the anniversary in which he pointed out that the attack "reminds us of the senseless violence that terrorism perpetuates and of our shared responsibility to unequivocally condemn terrorism."</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Thirty-nine years ago today, 329 innocent people, including 280 Canadians, were killed when a bomb exploded on Air India Flight 182.<br />
<br />
On the anniversary of the deadliest terrorist attack in Canadian history, we remember the lives taken by violent extremism.</p>
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/1804973879535780194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>In a detailed statement, he explained how Canada is "doing its part to counter terrorism and violent extremism", which included updating the Counter-Terrorism Strategy and providing "funding to organizations that help improve our understanding of violent extremism and our capacity to prevent these acts of violence." The statement, though, did not make any mention of the perpetrators of the terror attack.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), who plays a key role in supporting the Trudeau government also issued a statement but made no mention of the perpetrators. In a post on X, he said, "We will not let hate win."</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">39 years ago, 329 lives were lost in the Air India Bombing, and communities were forever changed.<br />
<br />
I extend my condolences to the families who lost loved ones.<br />
<br />
Today we remember those who were lost and honour their memory by working together to build a more peaceful world.<br />
<br />
We…</p>
— Jagmeet Singh (@theJagmeetSingh) <a href="https://twitter.com/theJagmeetSingh/status/1804877456568131924?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


As Sunday (June 23) marked the 39th anniversary of the Kanishka Air India terror attack that happened in 1985 and resulted in the death of 329 civilians, India renewed its call for justice for the victims and reiterated its stance of zero tolerance towards terrorism.

As Sunday (June 23) marked the 39th anniversary of the Kanishka Air India terror attack that happened in 1985 and resulted in the death of 329 civilians, India renewed its call for justice for the victims and reiterated its stance of zero tolerance towards terrorism. The bomb planted by Canada-based Khalistani terrorists exploded mid-air off the coast of Ireland, killing all 329 people on board, including Indian nationals and many Indian-origin Canadian nationals. It remains Canada's worst terror attack and one of the worst aviation disasters of all time. India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar posted on social media, "Today marks the 39th anniversary of one of the worst acts of terrorism in history...The anniversary is a reminder why terrorism should never be tolerated." Today marks the 39th anniversary of one of the worst acts of terrorism in history. Pay my homage to the memory of the 329 victims of AI 182 ‘Kanishka’ who were killed this day in 1985. My thoughts are with their families. The anniversary is a reminder why terrorism should… — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) June 23, 2024 × Indian High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma led the memorial at the Air India Flight 182 monument at Commissioner's Park, Dow's Lake, Ottawa. Speaking at the sombre moment, he said, "The Kanishka bombing was a heinously planned cowardly attack carried out by individuals with a twisted ideology, aimed at striking fear and demonstrating power through violence. We still await full and desired justice to the families of the victims of the bombing." High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma paid homage to the victims of Air India flight 182 Kanishka in Ottawa today on the 39th anniversary of the cowardly terrorist bombing in which 329 innocent victims including 86 children, lost their lives. Addressing the gathering, High… pic.twitter.com/iL4bpg86vh — India in Canada (@HCI_Ottawa) June 23, 2024 × Talwinder Singh Parmar, a Canadian national and the founder of the banned terrorist organisation Babbar Khalsa International was identified as the mastermind behind Canada's worst terror attack. Inderjit Singh Reyat was convicted of manslaughter in connection with the bombing and received a 15-year prison sentence in 2003. Reyat was released to the halfway house in 2016. Two other accused, Ripudaman Singh Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri, were both acquitted and found not guilty. Since Reyat refused to testify against anyone else, he remained the only suspect to be convicted in the case. The Indian high commissioner said, "No government in the world should overlook the threat of terrorism emanating from its territories for political gains. Human lives are much more important than the transitory political interests. All terrorist activities should be met with exemplary legal and social actions before they start harming the larger humanity." The Indian high commission's remarks come even as India has been raising its concerns over space being given to extremist ideology in the North American country. Khalistan extremists have time and again held protests and issued threats against Indian diplomats in Canada and the Indian leadership. Recently, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau attended an event that saw pro-Khalistan chants, which saw Delhi summoning Canada's Deputy High Commissioner in New Delhi. Trudeau also issued a statement on the anniversary in which he pointed out that the attack "reminds us of the senseless violence that terrorism perpetuates and of our shared responsibility to unequivocally condemn terrorism." Thirty-nine years ago today, 329 innocent people, including 280 Canadians, were killed when a bomb exploded on Air India Flight 182. On the anniversary of the deadliest terrorist attack in Canadian history, we remember the lives taken by violent extremism. — Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) June 23, 2024 × In a detailed statement, he explained how Canada is "doing its part to counter terrorism and violent extremism", which included updating the Counter-Terrorism Strategy and providing "funding to organizations that help improve our understanding of violent extremism and our capacity to prevent these acts of violence." The statement, though, did not make any mention of the perpetrators of the terror attack. Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), who plays a key role in supporting the Trudeau government also issued a statement but made no mention of the perpetrators. In a post on X, he said, "We will not let hate win." 39 years ago, 329 lives were lost in the Air India Bombing, and communities were forever changed. I extend my condolences to the families who lost loved ones. Today we remember those who were lost and honour their memory by working together to build a more peaceful world. We… — Jagmeet Singh (@theJagmeetSingh) June 23, 2024 ×

Kanishka terror attack anniversary: India says justice awaited; Trudeau silent on perpetrators