Kanishka bombing: Canadian cops meet terrorists

An investigating team, comprising five officials of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), on Wednesday questioned two terrorists of Babbar Khalsa International in the Burail jail in Chandigarh as part of its investigations in connection with the bombing of Air India flight 'Kanishka' in 1985.

The team questioned top Babbars -- Jagtar Singh Hawara and Paramjit Singh Bheora -- in the high security jail in Chandigarh for over two hours, sources said.

Hawara, a prime accused in the assassination of Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, is serving capital punishment in the case.

The team members, led by Liasion officer Shane Tuckey, who are in Chandigarh to question 'witnesses' in connection with the mid air blast of the Air India flight, remained tight lipped on what transpired in the meeting.

Earlier, the team member had confabulations with top brass of crime branch of Punjab police and Director General of Police N P S Aulakh for over an hour.

The questioning of Hawara and Bheora took place in the presence of officials of Chandigarh police and Burail jail.

Sources said the team has the names of at least 12 militants lodged in various jails of Punjab and Chandigarh whom it is likely to question in days ahead.

Air India Toronto-Delhi Boeing 747 flight number 182 'Kaniskha' had exploded over the Atlantic ocean, over the Irish coast on June 23, 1985.

A bomb was detonated in the cargo bay, which blew up the plane and killed 329 passengers on board, most of whom were Canadian citizens of Indian origin.