Kanishka: Security was stepped up day before attack

Among the startling threats detailed in the documents is an October 1984 report that Ajaib Singh Bagri8212;the man later tried and acquitted in the bombing8212;had been put on an international committee of militants to plot Air India hijackings that month.

The inquiry was rocked last week when former intelligence official James Bartleman, who is now Ontario8217;s lieutenant-governor, testified he had seen a specific threat targeting Air India Flight 182 on the June 22-23 weekend. Bartleman said he was brushed off when he tried to raise it with a Canadian police officer on June 18.

In fact, between June 18 and 20, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP had laid out its plans for heightened security for the ill-fated flight in memos filed at the inquiry, labelled secret, media reports said.

A June 20, 1985, note by RCMP Sgt J B MacDonald said: 8220;Extra security is in effect for Air India and will be for the next two Saturdays June 22 and 29, 1985. The duration of the security is four hours, except when the flight is late departing, etc. and consists of the following: one uniform member at the ticket counter until it closes then the member goes directly to the bridgehead until it closes for departure.8221;

The memo added: 8220;From the time the plane lands and parks until its departure, a police cruiser is parked beside it keeping it under observation.8221;

The memo makes reference to Staff Sgt A W Gillies being advised of the 8220;foregoing information8221;. Staff Sgt Gillies was one of two RCMP officers at the June 18 security meeting about Sikh extremists where Bartleman said he interrupted to pass on the intelligence about the specific threat.

The RCMP timesheet for the Air India detail in June 1985 shows five officers on duty on June 22, up from three the previous week. Their report notes that the A-I flight departed Toronto for Montreal at 20:05 8220;without incident.8221; A later entry, at 5:50 am, on June 23, says 8220;an A-I flight B 747 with 325 passengers was lost on radar at 04:00 Toronto time, 90 miles off the coast of Ireland.8221;