Editorial

A new revelation about the downing of the Pan Am 103 that killed 270 people over Lockerbie in 1988 would have had far more news coverage than it did had Muammar Gaddafi not opted to turn on his own people in an uprising that is threatening to further undermine peace and security in the Mediterranean.

When the Gaddafi regime’s Justice Minister, Mustafa Abdel-Jalil, stepped down a few days ago he was reported telling a Swedish tabloid he had proof the Libyan leader had personally ordered the Lockerbie bombing. The problem is he did not describe the proof but, according to The Sunday Times (of London), the man convicted of the bombing, Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, had warned Col Gaddafi he would “reveal everything” about the downing of the airliner unless he was rescued from the Scottish prison where he was being held.

The story, which is, of course, of direct interest to Malta because the bomb that killed the passengers was said to have started its journey from the airport here – a claim the government has consistently strongly denied – once again opens wide the whole debate over who actually ordered the downing of the aircraft, the motive behind the order and the real perpetrator of the heinous crime. There are analysts who still believe the Pan Am was downed by a Palestinian faction acting in concert with Iran.

When Mr Megrahi , the only man convicted of the crime, was released for compassionate reasons in August 2009, on grounds he was suffering from prostate cancer, many believed, and still do, this was done out of commercial interests, more specifically to further an oil deal for BP in Libya. The issue got even more complicated when documents released by the Cabinet Office in Britain established that ministers and civil servants in London had helped the Libyans to apply for Mr Megrahi’s release and made clear to Alex Salmond’s government that allowing him to die in jail would be extremely damaging to UK interests.

However, British Prime Minister David Cameron told the House of Commons a report by Sir Gus O’Donnell, the head of the civil service, had found no proof UK ministers or BP had directly put pressure on the Scottish government to release Mr Megrahi. Once again, there was strong reaction to this from the US. At least four US senators dismissed the Prime Minister’s assurances, arguing new evidence had in fact showed ministers and officials in London worked to secure Mr Megrahi’s release.

At the time of his release from prison, Mr Megrahi was given only three months to live. He was given a hero’s welcome on his arrival in Tripoli. Seventeen months on, Mr Megrahi is still alive. So, was the Scottish government deceived over his health?

It is very important now for the former Libyan Justice Minister to come out with the evidence of the claim he made, if he has any, because if he does not, it would remain just an allegation. Not that Col Gaddafi now needs an allegation of this sort to tarnish his image; his determination to crush his own people for demanding freedom from tyranny is more than enough to stir deep revulsion among the international community, which has unequivocally called for his stepping down.

Even so, the Lockerbie story has not been concluded yet and, with the situation now being so uncertain, it would seem unlikely it would be picked up again any time soon.