[1985 Air India Bombing Case] 2 Men, Accused Of Killing Suspected Terrorist, Plead Guilty

Two men accused of killing Ripudaman Singh Malik, a Sikh man acquitted in the tragic 1985 Air India Kanishka terrorist bombing case, have pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in a Canadian court, according to media reports. Tanner Fox and Jose Lopez entered the pleas in the British Columbia (BC) Supreme Court on Monday (Oct 21) on the eve of their trial for the killing of 75-year-old Malik, who was shot several times outside his family business on the morning of July 14, 2022.

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Ottawa: Two men have pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Ripudaman Singh Malik, a Sikh man who was acquitted in connection to the 1985 Air India Kanishka bombing, one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Canadian history. According to recent media reports, Tanner Fox and Jose Lopez entered their guilty pleas on the eve of their trial in the British Columbia (BC) Supreme Court.

Malik, who was 75 years old at the time of his death, was fatally shot multiple times outside his family business in Surrey, British Columbia, on the morning of July 14, 2022. Malik and his co-accused, Ajaib Singh Bagri, were acquitted in 2005 of mass murder and conspiracy charges related to the 1985 bombing, which killed 331 people.

Court Proceedings and Agreed Facts

During the court session in New Westminster on Monday, Fox and Lopez admitted to the lesser charge of second-degree murder. According to media, the court was presented with an agreed statement of facts, revealing that the two men were hired to kill Malik.

“What we know from the agreed statement of facts is that there was some type of financial incentive that was involved in the commission of this crime, but in terms of any other specifics, it is another one of those situations where unfortunately it is just something that we as people on the outside will probably never know,”

-said Lopez’ lawyer, Gloria Ng, speaking to media.

Ng also highlighted Lopez’s young age and the potential for his rehabilitation:

“One of the things we certainly have in the forefront of our minds is the youth of our client—Lopez is a very young man, and we are certainly hopeful with prospects for rehabilitation.”

Malik’s Family and Their Statement

Following the guilty pleas, Malik’s family released a statement, expressing both their grief and a desire for broader justice.

Malik was described as a-

“father, brother, husband, and grandfather as well as a tireless community leader,”

-according to a report by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).

“While we are grateful that the shooters are being brought to justice, we know that nothing will erase the pain that we have gone through losing a family member in this way,”

-the family said.

They continued by emphasizing that the case was far from resolved:

“However, the work is not complete. Tanner Fox and Jose Lopez were hired to commit this murder. Until the parties responsible for hiring them and directing this assassination are brought to justice, the work remains incomplete.”

The family urged the convicted men to-

“co-operate with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in bringing those that hired you to justice.”

Sentencing and Further Legal Proceedings

Crown and defense attorneys have agreed that both Fox and Lopez should not be eligible for parole for 20 years.

The sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 31, where more details may emerge regarding the case.

The 1985 Air India Bombing: A Dark Chapter in History

The 1985 Air India bombing remains one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in both Canadian and airline history. On June 23, 1985, Air India Flight 182 was en route from Toronto to London, with a stopover in Montreal, before continuing to its final destination in Bombay (now Mumbai).

At an altitude of 31,000 feet above the Atlantic Ocean, a bomb hidden in a suitcase exploded in the front cargo hold, killing all 329 passengers and crew members on board, including 268 Canadian citizens and 24 Indian citizens. A second bomb, intended for another Air India flight, exploded prematurely at Tokyo’s Narita Airport, killing two baggage handlers.

Inderjit Singh Reyat was the only individual convicted in connection with the bombing. Reyat, who assisted in constructing the bombs and later lied during the trials, spent 30 years in prison. He was released in 2016 after serving two-thirds of his perjury sentence.

Ongoing Search for Full Justice

Though Malik and Bagri were acquitted of charges related to the Air India bombing, the case continues to reverberate within the legal system and public memory. Malik’s assassination in 2022 has brought renewed attention to the unsolved aspects of both his death and the bombing case.

Malik’s family, while expressing relief that the shooters are being held accountable, continues to call for the full truth behind his murder to come to light.

Until the masterminds who orchestrated his killing are brought to justice, Malik’s family maintains that their search for closure remains incomplete.

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