The press secretary for Canada’s Transportation Ministry says they will do ‘everything necessary’ to keep passengers safe.
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.
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.
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.”
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
