Canada Admits Khalistani Role in Kanishka Bombing

In a significant shift, Canada has officially acknowledged the role of Khalistani extremists in the 1985 Air India Kanishka bombing, nearly four decades after the tragic incident that claimed 329 lives. For years, Canada had refrained from directly naming Khalistani separatists, despite India consistently attributing the attack to them. The bombing occurred on June 23, 1985, when the Air India Boeing aircraft ‘Kanishka,’ flying from Toronto to Mumbai, exploded mid-air over the Atlantic Ocean due to a planted bomb.

In a recent development, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) stated via an official communication that the attack was orchestrated by Khalistani extremist groups operating from Canada. It identified members of the Babbar Khalsa organization as responsible for placing explosives in the aircraft’s baggage compartment, leading to one of the deadliest terror attacks in Canadian history. This acknowledgment marks a major change in Canada’s stance, as earlier investigations were widely criticized for being inadequate, allowing key accused to evade justice.