OTTAWA - There was more finger pointing between the RCMP and CSIS at the Air India inquiry today.
A former CSIS officer testified that the intelligence agency thought it had a source who could help penetrate the Sikh extremist movement in the wake of the Air India bombing.
But Neil Eschleman said he was ordered to turn the source over to the RCMP - who promptly dismissed the man as being of no help to their criminal investigation.
Eschleman said the man, identified only as Mr. A, was potentially the best source the spy service had found in its efforts to uncover the inner workings of Sikh separatist groups.
But the man wanted his anonymity guaranteed and said he would never testify in court.
The Mounties insisted they needed to speak to the man directly, Eschleman said, and then concluded he wouldn't be any use in mounting a court prosecution.
