Rajiv wondered why Air India luggage not rechecked

Ottawa: In a phone call right after the June 23, 1985, Air India bombing, a “highly excited” Rajiv Gandhi challenged then- prime minister Brian Mulroney about why all the baggage on the ill-fated flight was not removed and rechecked in Montreal when three pieces had been found to be suspicious.
The Indian prime minister at the time suggested to Mr. Mulroney that Canada had breached international procedures by not rescreening all the luggage on Flight 182.
Details of the emotionally charged exchange were revealed yesterday in declassified government documents released at the judicial inquiry probing the bombing that killed 329 and a blast the same day at Tokyo’s Narita Airport that killed two.
A June 27 briefing document about the call says: “Overall impression was that Gandhi was highly excited, perturbed and concerned, but highly appreciative of call.”
“After our PM related his sympathies and condolences, Gandhi said he understood three suitcases had been pulled from Air India flight in Montreal and his understanding was that when such a thing happened, it was standard [international] practice that all suitcases would be searched, but this had not been done in this case,” the document says.
“Our PM did not comment directly on this but went on to say that in response to Indian requests, we had made every effort to ensure safety of Indian diplomatic personnel and premises in Canada. We would redouble our protective efforts and prosecute to the full extent of the law anyone involved in illegal action.”
The briefing note says Mr. Gandhi had already heard of the Narita bombing as well “and the two PMs agreed it looked like there was a sinister connection.”
The fact Mr. Mulroney first called Mr. Gandhi to express condolences on the loss of life on the plane when most of the passengers were Canadians has long been criticized.
The briefing says that while Mr. Gandhi, a trained commercial pilot, was not directly questioning Canadian security measures before the bombing, “it is clear this question is implied.”
The document says Mr. Mulroney asked staff to investigate Mr. Gandhi’s concerns about the baggage.
02/05/07 Kim Bolan/CanWest News Service/National Post, Canada

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Categories: Air India May 2007, Foreign May 2007, Safety May 2007