Canadian authorities confirm investigation into possible Air India terror threat
發表於 : 週三 11月 15, 2023 5:56 am
https://vancouversun.com/news/local-new ... ror-threat
Five days after a video began circulating online warning people not to travel on Air India on
Nov. 19, the Canadian government and the RCMP have confirmed they are investigating a
possible terror threat.
“Our government takes any threat to aviation extremely seriously. We are investigating
recent threats circulating online closely and with our security partners. We will do
everything necessary to keep Canadians safe,” said Laura Scaffidi, press secretary to
Canada’s transport minister, on Thursday.
Postmedia has asked the ministry for its directions to passengers who are travelling on
the airline that day.
The RCMP also confirmed early Thursday that it is investigating but refused to comment
further.
“The RCMP takes all threats to national security very seriously, including threats made
online,” said Marie-Eve Breton, a spokesperson for the national RCMP.
Earlier this week, India asked Canada to step up security for Air India flights flying out of
Vancouver and Toronto, but the transport ministry did not say what measures would be
taken at the two major airports.
A video circulating on social media, and called a threat by several news outlets in India,
warns people not to travel on Air India on Nov. 19 because their lives would be in danger.
However, a statement from Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who posted the video for the
organization Sikhs for Justice, denies the message is a threat and said he is just asking
people to boycott Air India.
“Every dollar that goes to Indian businesses is used to perpetuate existential threat to
Sikhs,” Pannun said in a statement.
The “Sikh community should not strengthen any Indian businesses as it endangers their
lives and future generations,” he said in the statement. HE added that while the Khalistan
referendum organized by expatriate Sikhs is intended to challenge “India’s claim to
territorial integrity,” the call for a boycott is intended to break “India’s economic
hegemony.”
According to a post in the Hindustan Times on Monday, India asked Canada to step up
security on Air India flights following the potential threat.
The Indian media outlet reported that India’s high commissioner to Ottawa, Sanjay Kumar
Verma, said: “We shall take up the threat against Air India flights originating from and
terminating in Canada, with the Canadian authorities concerned.”
Messages to Air India have not been returned. Global Affairs Canada and Public Safety
Canada have also not commented.
On Tuesday, the Vancouver International Airport said staff are in “constant contact with a
range of agencies that form the many layers of security in and around the airport.”
A YVR spokesperson said they are aware of the threat to Air India and are “working closely
with federal security agencies tasked with assessing the credibility of the information
provided.”
Balwant Singh Gill, president of Khalsa Diwan Society in Surrey and a former president of
Guru Nanak Sikh Temple, called the threat “very serious” especially since the bombing of
Air India Flight 182 in 1985 remains on the minds of Canadians.
Gill said he would like the Canadian government or RCMP to urge social media companies
to remove the video.
It’s “openly promoting terrorism … so this should be taken off social media,” he said. He
did not have a message for Sikh people regarding the video but said everyone should take
the threat very seriously.
Air India operates several direct flights each week to New Delhi from Vancouver and
Toronto airports.
On June 23, 1985, two bomb-laden suitcases that had been checked in at Vancouver
airport — destined for Air India flights — exploded on opposite sides of the globe. The first
blew up at Japan’s Narita Airport, killing two baggage handlers. The second brought down
Air India Flight 182 off the coast of Ireland about an hour later, killing everyone — including
280 Canadians — on board.
A B.C. Supreme Court judge and a subsequent public inquiry determined the bombings
were carried out by Babbar Khalsa, a B.C. group pushing for the independence for India’s
Punjab. Three B.C. men were eventually charged in the murderous plot. Two were
acquitted and a third pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
— with files from Kim Bolan
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know — add VancouverSun.com and TheProvince.com to your bookmarks and sign up for
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You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber: For just $14 a
month, you can get unlimited, ad-lite access to The Vancouver Sun, The Province,
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Five days after a video began circulating online warning people not to travel on Air India on
Nov. 19, the Canadian government and the RCMP have confirmed they are investigating a
possible terror threat.
“Our government takes any threat to aviation extremely seriously. We are investigating
recent threats circulating online closely and with our security partners. We will do
everything necessary to keep Canadians safe,” said Laura Scaffidi, press secretary to
Canada’s transport minister, on Thursday.
Postmedia has asked the ministry for its directions to passengers who are travelling on
the airline that day.
The RCMP also confirmed early Thursday that it is investigating but refused to comment
further.
“The RCMP takes all threats to national security very seriously, including threats made
online,” said Marie-Eve Breton, a spokesperson for the national RCMP.
Earlier this week, India asked Canada to step up security for Air India flights flying out of
Vancouver and Toronto, but the transport ministry did not say what measures would be
taken at the two major airports.
A video circulating on social media, and called a threat by several news outlets in India,
warns people not to travel on Air India on Nov. 19 because their lives would be in danger.
However, a statement from Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who posted the video for the
organization Sikhs for Justice, denies the message is a threat and said he is just asking
people to boycott Air India.
“Every dollar that goes to Indian businesses is used to perpetuate existential threat to
Sikhs,” Pannun said in a statement.
The “Sikh community should not strengthen any Indian businesses as it endangers their
lives and future generations,” he said in the statement. HE added that while the Khalistan
referendum organized by expatriate Sikhs is intended to challenge “India’s claim to
territorial integrity,” the call for a boycott is intended to break “India’s economic
hegemony.”
According to a post in the Hindustan Times on Monday, India asked Canada to step up
security on Air India flights following the potential threat.
The Indian media outlet reported that India’s high commissioner to Ottawa, Sanjay Kumar
Verma, said: “We shall take up the threat against Air India flights originating from and
terminating in Canada, with the Canadian authorities concerned.”
Messages to Air India have not been returned. Global Affairs Canada and Public Safety
Canada have also not commented.
On Tuesday, the Vancouver International Airport said staff are in “constant contact with a
range of agencies that form the many layers of security in and around the airport.”
A YVR spokesperson said they are aware of the threat to Air India and are “working closely
with federal security agencies tasked with assessing the credibility of the information
provided.”
Balwant Singh Gill, president of Khalsa Diwan Society in Surrey and a former president of
Guru Nanak Sikh Temple, called the threat “very serious” especially since the bombing of
Air India Flight 182 in 1985 remains on the minds of Canadians.
Gill said he would like the Canadian government or RCMP to urge social media companies
to remove the video.
It’s “openly promoting terrorism … so this should be taken off social media,” he said. He
did not have a message for Sikh people regarding the video but said everyone should take
the threat very seriously.
Air India operates several direct flights each week to New Delhi from Vancouver and
Toronto airports.
On June 23, 1985, two bomb-laden suitcases that had been checked in at Vancouver
airport — destined for Air India flights — exploded on opposite sides of the globe. The first
blew up at Japan’s Narita Airport, killing two baggage handlers. The second brought down
Air India Flight 182 off the coast of Ireland about an hour later, killing everyone — including
280 Canadians — on board.
A B.C. Supreme Court judge and a subsequent public inquiry determined the bombings
were carried out by Babbar Khalsa, a B.C. group pushing for the independence for India’s
Punjab. Three B.C. men were eventually charged in the murderous plot. Two were
acquitted and a third pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
— with files from Kim Bolan
Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the news you need to
know — add VancouverSun.com and TheProvince.com to your bookmarks and sign up for
our newsletters here.
You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber: For just $14 a
month, you can get unlimited, ad-lite access to The Vancouver Sun, The Province,
National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The
Vancouver Sun | The Province.