Kanishka bombing: Canada ignored reports on threat to India, says co-pilot's widow

Chandigarh, June 18 (ANI): The widow of an Indian co-pilot, who flew the bombed Air India Boeing 'Kanishka' Flight 182 from Canada to India, on Friday, rued the lack of intelligence sharing responsible for the worst tragedy in aviation history.

Co-pilot SS Bhinder's widow Amarjit Kaur said that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police did not share the intelligence report that pointed to a probable terror strike.

"There were intelligence reports. In fact, Air India had sent a telex to our CMP (Canadian Mounted Police), which was not handed over, of which was not shared that there was a threat to India. This was taken very lightly," claimed Kaur.

"Then other failures by security forces at the airport. Two suitcases were loaded without the passengers. Passengers were missing, that was the biggest mistake on the part of the person on duty at that time," he added.

The Canadian Government has said it will apologise to the families of the victims of the Kanishka bombing and also pay them more compensation. he decision came after the Justice John Major Commission report on Thursday blasted the government for failing to stop the plot hatched by Khalistani elements seeking revenge for the 1984 army action at Amritsar's Golden Temple.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said his government would take steps to implement recommendations of the report.

Kaur further said that she was happy that the authorities concerned have accepted their mistakes.

"We are fully satisfied that Canada has accepted that there has been a mistake. Not only mistake but mistakes after mistake, there have been security lapses and there have been non cooperation between Canadian Mounted Police (CMP) and security agencies and there have been intelligence failures," said Kaur.

"All these things were known to us, but they had not accepted it. So, we are now fully satisfied that the Government has accepted its mistakes," she added.

The bombing of the Air India Flight 182 from Canada to India that killed 329 people is seen as one of the world's deadliest terrorist strikes. It is the largest case of mass murder in Canadian history.

The Air India flight from Montreal to London, originating in Vancouver, exploded and crashed off Ireland on June 23, 1985. (ANI)