Air India trial spectators brought weapons to court

Sheriffs routinely seized weapons at the Air India trial from spectators trying to enter the high-security Vancouver courtroom, according to evidence entered at the Ottawa inquiry into the June, 1985 bomb plot.
Special security measures implemented at the Vancouver Law Courts for the terrorism trial of Ripudaman Singh Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri were largely successful, a report prepared for the inquiry said.
"Nonetheless, the Air India Sheriffs Service Department routinely confiscated knives, bludgeoning weapons and even bullets at its security checkpoints," said the report, titled The Management of Terrorist Mega-Trials.
"Occasional disputes arose between a victim's family members and a supporter of the accused, but these never escalated beyond verbal attacks."
The trial, which resulted in acquittals for both Messrs. Malik and Bagri in 2005, was held in a specially constructed multimillion-dollar courtroom.
Special security costs for the trial were $2.8-million between 2002 and 2005, the report said.
An operational plan for the trial included emergency provisions for bomb threats and "nearly every security-related event."
Supporters of the accused during the 19-month trial routinely attended, including admitted drug dealers and gangsters who were subsequently convicted in other criminal cases.
Some family members of victims complained that attempts were made to intimidate them in the public gallery.
The Air India inquiry, headed by Commissioner John Major, is now looking at the unique challenges of so-called "mega-trials" which can last months or years.
20/11/07 Kim Bolan/CanWest News Service/National Post, Canada

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Categories: Air India - International Nov 2007, Foreign Nov 2007, NACIL Nov 2007, Safety Nov 2007