Two Men Plead Guilty to Murdering 1985 Air India Bombing Acquitted Suspect

In a significant development in the murder case of Ripudaman Singh Malik, two men have pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in a Canadian court. Malik, a Sikh man acquitted in connection with the 1985 Air India Kanishka terrorist bombing, was shot multiple times outside his family business in Surrey, British Columbia, on July 14, 2022. The pleas were entered by Tanner Fox and Jose Lopez in the British Columbia Supreme Court on the eve of their scheduled trial.

Malik was one of the key figures involved in the infamous Air India bombing case. Along with co-accused Ajaib Singh Bagri, Malik was acquitted in 2005 of mass murder and conspiracy charges related to the bombings that resulted in the deaths of 331 people.

Court Proceedings and Admissions

During the court session in New Westminster, both Fox and Lopez pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree murder. According to reports from Global News, the court reviewed an agreed statement of facts indicating that the two men had been hired to execute the killing of Malik.

Gloria Ng, Lopez’s lawyer, revealed to Global News that “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.” She added, “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.”

Family’s Response to the Verdict

The family of Malik expressed their profound sorrow over the loss of their loved one, describing him as a “father, brother, husband and grandfather as well as a tireless community leader.” In a statement, they acknowledged the progress in bringing the shooters to justice but emphasized that “nothing will erase the pain that we have gone through losing a family member in this way.”

The family called for further accountability, stating, “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.” They urged the killers to “co-operate with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in bringing those that hired you to justice.”

Crown and defense lawyers have agreed that Fox and Lopez should not be eligible for parole for 20 years. The two men are scheduled to appear in court again on October 31 for sentencing.

The Legacy of the 1985 Air India Bombing

The Air India bombing, which took place on June 23, 1985, remains one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Canadian history. Flight 182, carrying 329 individuals, including 268 Canadian citizens and 24 Indian citizens, was en route from Toronto to London when a suitcase bomb detonated in the cargo hold at 31,000 feet, resulting in the deaths of all on board.

In a related incident, another bomb was intended for an Air India flight departing from Japan, but it exploded at Tokyo’s Narita Airport, claiming the lives of two baggage handlers. The only individual convicted in relation to the Kanishka bombing was Inderjit Singh Reyat, who served 30 years in prison for his involvement in making the bombs and for perjury during the trials, including Malik’s. Reyat was released in 2016 after serving two-thirds of his sentence.