Canadian prime minister Paul Martin said yesterday he hoped to decide by autumn what form of inquiry to hold into the Air India atrocity in which 329 passengers and crew were killed off the Irish coast 20 years ago.
After attending a memorial service in west Cork, Mr Martin said it was understandable why feelings were running so high.
"It is impossible to be with these people and not have your heart go out to them. We would like to do everything we can to bring solace," he said.
Earlier, Bapu Turlapati - who lost his two sons, Sanjay (14) and Deepak (11) in the attack - summarised the feelings of many of the victims' families when he addressed Mr Martin during the service and called on his government to institute a public inquiry.
"Having patiently waited for justice and now without any end in sight, the families urge the prime minister to order a public inquiry to find the answers for all the lapses and unanswered questions which resulted in this heinous crime by the terrorists in our country," he said.
Mr Turlapati said such an inquiry should also aim to prevent any repeat of the Air India atrocity, which happened when a bomb was brought aboard the Boeing 747 Kanishka and exploded 40 minutes out from Heathrow on its flight from Vancouver to New Delhi.
Calls by family members for an inquiry have intensified following the acquittal on March 17th of two main suspects in the case - Ripudaman Singh Malik (58) and Ajaib Singh Bagri (55) - on first degree murder of those killed.
Mr Justice Ian Bruce Josephson's decision to acquit means only one man, Inderjit Singh Reyat (51), has been brought to justice after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was jailed for five years on top of a 15-year sentence for his part in another bomb attack.
Yesterday Mr Martin insisted the appointment of former Ontario prime minister Bob Rae to liaise with the families was the correct way to proceed and he hoped to have Mr Rae's report by autumn.
Paul Cullen adds: The release of 200 balloons during the memorial service has landed President Mary McAleese in hot water.
Friends of the Irish Environment said it was "greatly disturbed" to hear of the use of the balloons, which it described as a "lethal hazard" for marine animal life.
FIE director Tony Lowes said the balloons would become "marine debris" and were hazardous for sea turtles, dolphins, whales, fish, and seabirds who mistake them for jellyfish, their natural prey.
The organisation has written to Mrs McAleese seeking assurances she will not in future attend ceremonies at which balloons are released into the environment.
