Reyat, a former Vancouver Island auto mechanic, was convicted in 1991 and sentenced to 10 years in prison for the deaths of two baggage handlers in an explosion at Tokyo's Narita airport. Reyat, who insists he is innocent, was convicted on the basis of circumstantial evidence.

London must consent to any new charges because Reyat, who had lived in British Columbia (B.C.) for several years, was extradited from Britain for his alleged involvement in the Tokyo explosion. The British home secretary must agree to the laying of new charges since they weren't included in the original extradition order.

Reyat's lawyer, Kuldip Chaggar, is protesting the refusal of B.C. authorities to grant his client legal aid to defend his rights in the United Kingdom. This is despite the fact that "they have no real evidence against him" other than "hearsay" Chaggar explained. He has been judged guilty and is being denied his "right to a defense and to a free trial."

Chaggar said that prosecutors delivered three boxes of material to his client at the Matsqui penitentiary, near Vancouver. "It's full of presumptions and innuendo. I don't know how they can extradite him on something so serious on the basis of that," he stated.

"There has been a tremendous, concerted, and deliberately orchestrated media campaign to label the entire Sikh community as well as individuals" as terrorists, Chaggar stressed. "There is no presumption of innocence, only a presumption of guilt."

Supporters of Reyat have set up a web site that explains some of the facts about the violations of Reyat's basic democratic rights. Reyat was offered parole from prison, it states, with "inducements of cash, freedom, and immunity from future prosecution" if he would testify against others for planting a bomb on the Air India plane. "As a direct consequence of Mr. Reyat's refusal to concede to false allegations, he has been forced to serve 13 years without parole, and remains incarcerated today." Reyat was initially jailed in Britain in 1988 and held until a decision was made on his extradition to Canada.

Reyat's supporters are asking defenders of democratic rights to contact Jack Straw, British home secretary, and ask him "not to give consent to the charging of Mr. Inderjit Singh Reyat without due process and access to a full and fair hearing in the British courts," according to a petition being circulated.

Steve Penner is a meat packer in Langley, British Columbia.
 
 
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Embassy bombing trial undermines democratic rights
 
 
 
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