AIRLINE BOMBINGS

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 04824

E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PTER EI IN
SUBJECT: AIRLINE BOMBINGS


1. (CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT)


2. AMBASSADOR ROBINSON OPENED HIS CALL TODAY ON DR. FRED
DOUCET, SENIOR POLICY ADVISOR FOR THE CANADIAN PRIME
MINISTER, WITH AN EXPRESSION OF U.S. SYMPATHY AND CONCERN
OVER THE TRAGIC AIRLINE INCIDENTS THIS PAST WEEKEND.
(THE AMBASSADOR HAD BEEN SCHEDULED TO MAKE REPRESENTATIONS
ON OTHER SUBJECTS TO THE OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER.)
REPORTS ON THE EXPLOSION OF THE AIR INDIA BOEING 747
OFF THE COAST OF IRELAND, THE GREATEST LOSS OF CANADIAN
LIVES IN COMMERCIAL FLYING HISTORY, AND THE EXPLOSION
OF A BOMB HIDDEN IN THE LUGGAGE OF A CP AIR FLIGHT TO
TOKYO, DOMINATE TODAY'S CANADIAN PRESS.

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3. DR. DOUCET EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR THE AMBASSADOR'
STATEMENT OF CONCERN IN BEHALF OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT.
HE MADE THREE POINTS IN RESPONSE. FIRST, HE SAID THAT
"THE TARGETS FOR THE BOMBINGS WERE NOT CLEAR AND CLEAN,"
GIVEN THE VARIED BACKGROUND OF THE PASSENGERS. THE GOC
CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY SIKH TERRORISTS, IF THEY ARE IN
FACT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INCIDENTS, WOULD HAVE CHOSEN
THIS UNTARGETTED MEANS TO MAKE A POLITICAL POINT.
SECOND, DOUCET SAID THAT "SOMETHING MUST HAVE BEEN
ORCHESTRATED" SINCE IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT TWO SUCH
INCIDENTS COULD TAKE PLACE BY COINCIDENCE WITHIN TWELVE
HOURS. THIRD, HE SAID THAT ALL AVAILABLE EVIDENCE
DOES POINT TO USE OF A BOMB ON AIR INDIA 182.

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4. WHEN ASKED BY THE ECONOMIC MINISTER-COUNSELOR WHAT TH
GOC PLANS TO DO IN FOLLOWING UP ON THESE APPARENT
TERRORIST ACTS, DR. DOUCET SAID THAT THE PRIME MINISTER
WOULD PROBABLY CONVENE A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
CANADIAN CABINET FOR LATER TODAY. (THE PRIME MINISTER
IS NOW AT HIS SUMMER RESIDENCE ABOUT 20 MINUTES OUTSIDE
OTTAWA.) ACCORDING TO DOUCET, PRIME MINISTER MULRONEY
WILL PROBABLY USE THAT CABINET MEETING TO REVIEW THE
EVENTS OF THE WEEKEND AND OPTIONS FOR ACTION. HE SAID
THAT MULRONEY MIGHT ISSUE A STRONG STATEMENT, INDICATING
THAT, AS DOUCET PUT IT, "CANADA WILL NOT TAKE THIS
KIND OF ATTACK SITTING DOWN" AND THAT THE GOC WILL TAKE
STERN ACTION. WHAT ACTION, DOUCET DID NOT AND COULD NOT
INDICATE. HE ALSO SAID THAT THE PRIME MINISTER WOULD
SEEK TO REASSURE THE CANADIAN PUBLIC THAT THE GOC HAS
TIGHTENED AIRPORT SECURITY AND THAT CANADIANS SHOULD
MAINTAIN THEIR TRAVEL PLANS.

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5. DR. DOUCET CALLED THE ECONOMIC MINISTER-COUNSELOR
SUBSEQUENTLY EARLY AFTERNOON, JUNE 24, TO CONFIRM THAT
THE PRIME MINISTER WILL INDEED MEET WITH KEY MINISTERS
TODAY AT 3 P.M. AND MAKE A PUBLIC STATEMENT AT 4 P.M.
HE ADDED THAT PRECISE INFORMATION ON THE CAUSE OF THE
APPARENT EXPLOSION ABOARD AIR INDIA 182 REMAINS SKETCHY,
BUT THAT THERE IS INCREASING EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST A
CONNECTION BETWEEN THE FATE OF THAT AIRLINE AND THE
BOMB EXPLODED AT TOKYO'S INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

ROBINSON