Lockerbie probe is ‘live’ – prosecutors
Malta court hears fresh evidence of 1988 case
Jim Swire, whose daughter died in the 1988 atrocity, has maintained Al-Megrahi was wrongly convicted.
Scottish prosecutors have stressed the investigation into the 1988 Lockerbie atrocity is still “live” but would not confirm a request has been made for the Maltese courts to gather fresh evidence.
“This is a live investigation to bring to justice the others involved in this act of state-sponsored terrorism,” the Crown Office in Scotland told The Sunday Times.
It added that police of the Dumfries and Galloway constabulary – which is responsible for the town of Lockerbie – were working with US law enforcement “in pursuit of lines of enquiry”.
The statement was a reaction to a story by The Times on Monday that reported evidence-gathering hearings have been taking place behind closed doors before Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit.
The Crown Office would not comment further “to preserve the integrity of the investigation”.
However, multiple sources have confirmed that several witnesses were heard in relation to travel logistics – a salient point that connects Malta to the atrocity. The established thesis, which underpinned the conviction of Abdelbasset Al-Megrahi, the only person ever jailed for the bombing, hinges on the notion that the explosive that brought down Pan Am flight 103 over the Scottish town of Lockerbie left Malta and was later transferred to London through Frankfurt.
The evidence of Maltese shopkeeper Tony Gauci was pivotal in pinning the blame on Al-Megrahi and securing the Malta connection to the bombing.
However, it later emerged that Mr Gauci had been coached and promised compensation by the CIA, undermining the credibility of his testimony.
Similarly, key elements of the evidence presented in the 2001 Camp Zeist trial in The Netherlands have been undermined.
Writing in the Scottish legal magazine The Firm, Jim Swire, whose 23-year-old daughter Flora died in the terrorist attack with another 269 victims, set out a series of outstanding questions about the established theory.
Among other things, Dr Swire pressed the point that a break-in at Heathrow Airport – from where Pan Am 103 took off – only 16 hours before the bomb exploded “remained hidden from view and from the Camp Zeist court” until after the verdict.
He also highlighted evidence uncovered by Al-Megrahi’s defence team after his conviction, showing that a key electronics fragment from the bomb found at the crash site could not have come from similar timer circuit boards that were bought in bulk by the Libyan Government in the 1980s.
Together with Mr Gauci’s identification of the former Libyan Intelligence officer, the circuit board evidence cemented the theory that the Libyan Government was behind the bombing and that Luqa airport was the original source of the bomb.
Mr Swire and a group of campaigners seeking the truth on the Lockerbie case are preparing to make a case before the Scottish Parliament next week for an inquiry to be held.
An inquiry could be the last avenue to answer the outstanding questions on the case, after Al-Megrahi withdrew his right to challenge his 27-year prison sentence in 2009, in return for an early release on compassionate grounds. He suffered from terminal cancer and died in May.
Popular Stories
Update 3: Marsa murder - Police looking...
Update 2: Three arrests after flamingo...
Former Judge Ray Pace found dead
Where’s Everybody staff is given notice
Revealed...the face of a Maltese woman...
Update 4 - Eddie Fenech Adami stable...
Update 3 - Woman trapped as car crashes...
Updated - Two bodies, capsized boat,...
Franco Mercieca doing routine eye ops at...
In Discussion
Update 2: Three arrests after flamingo...
Enemalta seeking minimum five year gas...
Mario de Marco, Zammit Dimech concede,...
Chinese company to study Malta-Gozo...
Updated - PM reacts to Labour anger on...
Franco Mercieca doing routine eye ops at...
No appeals board for first part of power...
Updated - PM comments as Franco Mercieca...
BBC site highlights illegal hunting in Malta
7 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Martin Cassar
Sep 23rd 2012, 13:29
Whodunit?
Remarkable accidents and human tragedies such as Lockerbie or 9/11 requires long time until the truth is revealed. However this routinely happens after the accidents in question are completely forgotten and people lose zeal to know the real culprits. How many common people are there today that are still interested to know who killed Kennedy or why he was killed?
The whole Lockerbie tragedy was well panned, designed, and a rich convenient scapegoat (oil country) was required to pay the price. Libya was there to fit the bill.
The unjustified killing of 270 innocent people over Lockerbie along with another 3000 inocnet people from various back grounds and creeds are the first and only confirmed fact of the unprecedented ugly terror attack of 9/11 and Lockerbie saga.
Whether Al Qaeda was behind the attack of 9/11 or Libya was behind Lockerbie were by way or another an inside job of the USA government. The killing of unarmed Osama Ben Laden and the killing of many people that might shed light on Lockerbie increases the possibility that the USA was behind too many mysterious terrorist attacks, including the attack and the killing of the USA ambassador to Libya.
Now its obvious what economic interests the USA has gained from the 9/11 and Lockerbie. Is it possible that the killing of the USA ambassador on the anniversary of the 9/11 is planned to keep the West/ East relation soure and increase hatred among nations and so it would justify and give license to USA and the Zionists to attack Iran?
It was quoted that: Hitler didn’t Holocausts all Jews and deliberately left some Jews so historian wont misjudge him and people would know who is the evil that threat humanity!
Unfortunately, terrorists succeeded and managed to create fears among us and making us lose many beautiful values. We must be driven by values not by fear. We must fight back terrorism with more openness, freedom and democracy. Not fighting back terrorism by having our pants scanned at airport or providing flight information…etc. Has the USA turned its war on terror into businesses opportunity or what?
This is the way I see Lockerbie saga, 9/11 and the attack on the USA embassy and the killing of USA ambassador. If you disagree please feel free and go join Binyamin Netanyahu weeping near the first wall you face. Or alternatively you can go and join what’s left of USA troops in Afghanistan and help them to chase Al Qaeda from one cave to another!
To condense, I must admit that both USA and Co. scheming outsmarted all devils scheming.
Eric Soames
Sep 23rd 2012, 16:17
'The killing of unarmed Osama Ben Laden ...': Oh please! The only reason that this murderer may have been unarmed [ I wasn't there] was because he was lulled into a sense of false security in his compound surrounded by his body guards and a compliant Pakistani Government. He knew he had it coming, unlike the victims of 9/11, and got a quick bullet in the face.
Interesting use of 'holocaust' as a verb.
'... both USA and Co ...': 'Co' being ...?
P Sciberras
Sep 23rd 2012, 11:08
I will not be the least surprised, now that both Mintoff an Gaddafi are dead,Malta,s name will be cleared from any involvement in the Lockerbie bombing. In case this happen, will Mr Gauci the supposed main witness in this case be indicted for perjury,or may be an admonishment will be enough for his distorted statement.
J Martinelli
Sep 23rd 2012, 14:32
It is highly doubtful that such an inquiry was put on hold until Gaddafi and Mintoff passed away. Besides how did Mintoff figure in the Lockerbie disaster?
Preparations for such inquiries take months if not years, especially if they encounter roadblocks from, among others, the CIA !
Victor Vella
Sep 23rd 2012, 19:23
Mintoff x`ghandu x`jaqsam. Thawwadx il-hass ma xi haga ohra.
Victor Vella
Sep 23rd 2012, 09:30
Mr Swire and a group of campaigners seeking the truth on the Lockerbie case are preparing to make a case before the Scottish Parliament next week for an inquiry to be held.- That is what from the very beginning was the main objective- seeking the truth. Now to put things right instead of making the right things from the outset is going to be a difficult task, and perhaps the truth never comes to surface.
Mr Tony Gatt
Sep 23rd 2012, 09:29
It's a bit rich the Americans now helping with the inquiry, considering the following-
"However, it later emerged that Mr Gauci had been coached and promised compensation by the CIA, undermining the credibility of his testimony."
Please choose the reason of your report below: