Air India memorial unveiled in Toronto ceremony

Twenty-two years to the day after the tragic bombing of Air India Flight 182, a memorial was unveiled in Toronto on Saturday honouring the 329 who died when the flight went down off the coast of Ireland.
"It's very serene, very beautiful -- they couldn't have chosen a better place,'' said Jayashree Thampi, spokesperson for the Air India Victims' Families Association.
Thampi's daughter and husband were killed in the terrorist attack.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and Toronto Mayor David Miller all spoke at the ceremony, discussing the lessons learned and the importance of remembering the repercussions of violence.
Representatives of the families of the victims of the tragedy said the memorial helps bring closure and gives them a tangible place to grieve the loved ones lost on June 23, 1985, and in a related bombing at Japan's Narita airport on the same day.
Toronto Mayor David Miller said Canada's largest city grieved for those who were killed.
Only one man has ever been convicted in the attacks. Inderjit Singh Reyat was sentenced to five years in prison in 2003. He reached a plea deal with prosecutors and was convicted on lesser charges of manslaughter and with assisting in the construction of the bomb.
A public inquiry into the disaster, led by former Supreme Court justice John Major, will resume its work in the fall after taking a break for the summer.
The project was co-coordinated by Peter Klambauer for the City of Toronto. He told The Canadian Press the memorial is truly a national creation comprised of exquisite craftsmanship.
The City of Toronto donated the land for the memorial as well as expertise to help with the planning and management of the project. The federal and provincial government donated funding.
23/06/07 Roger Petersen/Canadian Press/CTV.ca

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