Sikh temple holds memorial for bomb victims

A British Columbia Sikh temple will hold its first memorial service ever beginning today for 331 people killed in two 1985 bombings targeting Air India.
Inderjit Singh Bains, head of the Dashmesh Darbar temple in Surrey, B. C., said it's about time his congregation honoured the innocent victims of Canada's worst case of mass murder.
Three hundred and thirty-one people have died without reason," he said Thursday, referring to the June 23, 1985 bombing of Air India Flight 182 and an explosion in luggage from another Air India flight at Tokyo's Narita Airport.
Two baggage handlers died in the airport explosion and 329 passengers and crew were killed when Flight 182 went down off the coast of Ireland.
The temple is holding a three-day service, called an akhand path, that involves round-the-clock reading of the Sikh holy book.
After the reading is completed Sunday, Bains said at least two people will speak about the bombings that affected so many lives.
But the memorial service is stirring up controversy because on the wall of the temple dining room hangs a framed photo of Talwinder Singh Parmar, the man who allegedly masterminded the bombings.
20/06/08 Canadian Press/The North Bay Nugget, Canada

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Categories: Air India - International Jun 2008, Foreign Jun 2008, NACIL Jun 2008, Safety Jun 2008