Police in British Columbia have identified a suspect known as 'Mr. X,' believed to have helped test a bomb before the 1985 Air India terror attack, but he died before facing charges. The announcement comes on the 40th anniversary of the attack, which killed 329 people, mostly Canadians.
Four decades later, police say suspect known as ‘Mr. X’ in 1985 Air India bombing is dead
Canada
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Police in British Columbia have identified a suspect known as 'Mr. X,' believed to have helped test a bomb before the 1985 Air India terror attack, but he died before facing charges. The announcement comes on the 40th anniversary of the attack, which killed 329 people, mostly Canadians.
Trending- 1 Weeks before June 23, 1985: Bomb test heard on Vancouver Island, CSIS officers observed Mr. X.
- 2 June 23, 1985: Air India Flight 182 exploded over the Atlantic Ocean; a second suitcase bomb exploded at Tokyo’s Narita Airport.
- 3 1995: Retired RCMP Deputy Commissioner Gary Bass led the police investigation.
- 4 1997: Gary Bass began attending the memorial in Ireland annually.
- 5 2003: Bomb maker Inderjit Singh Reyat pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
- 6 2005: Ripudaman Singh Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri were acquitted; a federal investigation report was released.
- 7 2010: A commission of inquiry report was released.
- 8 2022: Acquitted suspect Ripudaman Singh Malik was killed in B.C.
- 9 Last week: Postmedia first reported the identification of Mr. X.
- 10 Monday, June 23, 2025: RCMP announced the identification and death of 'Mr. X'; ceremonies marking the National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism were held in multiple cities.
- The suspect will not face charges due to his death
- Families continue to mourn and seek full justice
- Renewed calls for vigilance against terrorism and remembrance of victims
What: Police in British Columbia have identified 'Mr. X,' a suspect in the 1985 Air India bombing, but he is deceased and will not be named publicly.
When: Announcement made Monday, June 23, 2025, on the 40th anniversary of the June 23, 1985, attack. The bomb test occurred weeks before the attack.
Where: British Columbia (Vancouver Island), Atlantic Ocean, Tokyo (Narita Airport), Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, County Cork (Ireland).
Why: To provide closure and acknowledge progress in the long-standing investigation of the deadliest terrorist attack in Canadian history, despite the suspect's death.
How: Through extensive and deliberate investigative efforts over several years, police uncovered information related to the suspect.