By TOM GODFREY

It will be 39-years next year when 11 people were injured in a horrific car-bomb that exploded outside Litton Systems Canada, blowing out a 50-foot section of wall at the Rexdale plant that produced radar-evading guidance for the U.S. cruise missile system.

Some 550 kgs of dynamite was left in the back of a van outside the City View Dr. plant, that had been under protests by peace groups.

Three police officers, five Litton workers and three passing motorists were injured that October 1982 morning when a box containing the dynamite was detonated.

The sprawling plant made guidance components for the low-flying missiles.

Litton brass in the U.S. said there were warnings of a bombing that were sent to the company and police, though no one had taken responsibility. Members of Canadian disarmament groups, who were being prosecuted for trespassing demonstrations at the plant, disavowed and condemned the violence.

Toronto Police Insp. Gordon Fenton said three officers were dispatched around midnight to investigate a tip that a bomb was set to detonate at the factory, which has shifts working round the clock.

Fenton said officers spotted a van containing a box labeled ”Danger Explosives.” As they returned to their car to call for bomb experts, the device exploded with enough force to shatter windows at the Skyline Hotel, about half-mile away. The cost of damages was estimated as high as $50 million.

A security guard told police a woman had called with a bomb threat and he ordered the workers to leave but most of the staff were on a break in the commissary.

As they headed for the street, officers say they will never forget the sound of a ‘dynamite bomb.’

”We started running toward the exit when suddenly there was a bang and everything shattered,” said Leo Bailey, who was rescued from the rubble by firefighters.

The blast knocked out walls, shattered windows and snapped a gas main. Company officials alerted the 1,200 employees to stay home.

The explosion came hours after an appellate court in Toronto upheld a lower court ruling that five executives of Litton in Canada would not have to appear as witnesses in the case of 22 disarmament activists charged with trespassing during a demonstration.

Some group members had previously set dynamite to a B.C. power station, before driving to Litton Systems of Canada, at 25 City View Dr., to wreak more havoc.

As the dust settled, the RCMP, FBI and CIA were called to help solve the mystery.

It was learned that three members of the Direct Action “urban guerrilla” group acted upon “their wish to end the arms race” and filled a stolen pick-up truck with 550 kg (1,210 lb) of dynamite and drove from Vancouver to Toronto.

Although the militants had phoned to evacuate the building, the bomb was accidentally detonated several minutes before its announced deadline, injuring many people.

Litton Systems was an a radio-engineering firm in 1934, but was purchased by former Pentagon officials in 1956 and transformed into a military producer, building naval ships in private shipyards and installing private equipment including communications and navigation systems.

A number of people belonging to Direct Action were later rounded up after a lengthy investigation.

Brent Taylor, who was dubbed the group’s ‘intellectual leader’ was sentenced to nine years in jail, to be served concurrently with a 22-year sentence for conspiracy to rob an armored bank truck.

Ann Hansen pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 12 years for the Litton bombing, to be served concurrently with a life sentence for conspiracy to rob the bank truck and six years for the bombing of a B.C. power station and firebombing two pornography stores.

Gerry Hannah and Doug Stewart were sentenced to six and 10-years for Direct Action activities but not for the Litton bombing.

Most would be free by now, if they are still alive.