Lockerbie bomber protests innocence in ‘final interview’
Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi at a hospital in Tripoli earlier this year
Abdelbaset al Megrahi, the only man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing, has again protested his innocence in what he said was the last interview he would give before his death.
The Libyan said: “I am an innocent man.
“I am about to die and I ask now to be left in peace with my family.”
He said he had “never seen” a Maltese shopkeeper whose identification was central to the conviction.
Tony Gauci had identified Megrahi as buying clothes, the fragments of which were found among the wreckage of the flight.
He said: “I never bought clothes from him. He dealt with me very wrongly. I have never seen him in my life before he came to court.”
The interview was reportedly filmed by investigator and former policeman George Thomson on Saturday.
His comments come as Scotland’s law chief pledged to “find the answers” victims’ families have been waiting for.
Two hundred and seventy people were killed when Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over the town of Lockerbie on December 21, 1988.
Abdelbaset al Megrahi was convicted of carrying out the bombing at a Scottish court sitting at Camp Zeist in the Netherlands in 2001 and sentenced to life imprisonment.
He was released on compassionate grounds in 2009 after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
The interview was published shortly after a memorial service marking the 23rd anniversary of the atrocity was held in the United States.
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Comments
There are 43 comments to this article
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Hessan
Friday, December 23, 2011 at 01:03 PMComment removed by moderator
Hessan
Friday, December 23, 2011 at 12:08 AMComment removed by moderator
Tartancult
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 11:58 PMSuch erudition Simon, I want you to represent me when I am accused of something - anything.
Simonsaid
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 10:46 PMTartancult - not-with-standing ---------eh that’ll mean with-sitting-doon wid it no? Excellent legal views you say - well ta very much on behalf of us-all. We-all have to concede that it is not all our own work –in fact we must confess the excellent legal views are all the work of the judges who convicted Megrahi. As is the case in bombings of this nature direct evidence is not an option – How do you determine who blew up a plane when what blew up the plane was a suitcase bomb in an aircraft at 20,000ft? Answer – you don’t, you have to rely on Circumstantial evidence is evidence a person may reasonably indicate a person's guilt. There was a significant amount of circumstantial evidence of Megrahi’s guilt but absolutely no circumstantial or direct evidence of his innocence. For example, he did not explain why he was in Malta on a false passport – returning to Libya a few hours after the flight carrying the bomb took of from Malta, If he could have produced evidence that he was dining at Buckingham Palace that day and Her Majesty confirmed it then he would have been found not guilty. WHY IS HE WEARING A MASK? EASY SO WE'LL NO KNOW IT IS NO HIM
Tartancult
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 08:46 PMNotwithstanding the excellent legal views being offered here - free! - and they are all excellent views, some of them may even be accurate - notwithstanding all of that, including my use of the 'notwithstanding' word - if Megrahi is innocent, why is he wearing a mask?
Danielrober2
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 07:37 PM# 33 Jimmy fae the West ....................... If you are asking me would I have let out a convicted man, who battered a train driver with a baseball bat and then bragged about it over half the world? The answer is no. There is too much abuse, neglect and speeches about prison overcrowding, and unfortunately not enough about reform. Forgiveness for those who have yet to repent, does them no good and what about the victims? ........................... So many of you patronise the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Mediterranean, seeing them only through the prism of religion and oil. There is so much more with cultures far older than ours, which you only notice at your election campaign convenience. Are our rules any better than their rules or is it just a small act of self satisfaction to stick your beak into people businesses and lives.
Simonsaid
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 06:29 PMJimmy fae the West Seriously – I am not ignorant of the issues you mentioned. However, it is not surprising if I think you are so ignorant of the topic in Question –Megrahi that you have wondered off on to other topics which you feel more familiar with.
Simonsaid
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 05:23 PM35Jimmy fae the West "That's a very interesting thesis there. Are you ignorant that the USA were bombing Iraq long before 9-11?" AYE A' AM
Jimmy Fae the West
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 03:56 PM32 Simonsaid Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 03:15 PM 18vist Stay off the VINO VISTA! The Islamic world would be better employed tackling their own sectarian problems than waging war on Christians If ther Twin Towers had not been hit The Yank would not have been in Iraq or Afghanistan _______________________________________________________ That's a very interesting thesis there. Are you ignorant that the USA were bombing Iraq long before 9-11? Perhaps you remain in the dark that the USA were also bombing Libya ten years before 9-11? Everyone reading your post will be left with the impression that you are even unaware that the USA had threatened Afghanistan before 9-11 when the Government of Afghanistan refused permission for a USA Gas-pipe? One can only wonder over your obtuseness at the USA Commander in Chief singing Bomb, bomb, bomb. Bomb bomb, Iran to a beachboy tune? Innocent Iran which has never attacked any other nation. Oh' that the Land of the Free could claim the same?
Jimmy Fae the West
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 03:43 PM27 the 007 calling from Bahamas!! scribbled; I agree with Salmond, when he says that he needs a significant number of immigrants with good education and skills I say to him, put guys like you in uniform and build an army which also does civilian work like clearing snow in Winter and ensuring that the unruly kids do not make lives misery for every one else. ______________________________________________________ Why are you claiming to be Roger Moore? Why also did you get confused between the restless youths rioting, and Looting and burning homes in the cities of England and the peaceful law abiding citizens of Scotland who did not? And why are you getting confused between Cameron's British Nationalism decree that only those who can speak Higher English will be permitted to enter his kingdom, and the openness of the Scottish parliament? You silly double Agent for the SNP!
Jimmy Fae the West
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 03:22 PM4 Danielrober2 Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 10:27 AM Still not dead then, despite having a three month countdown tad while ago now ______________________________________________________ If-Britain's most wanted man, the wee Londoner Ronnie Biggs who was released on compassionate grounds before Baset was not still managing to get down to his local Pub for copious pints of Bitter and Pina coladas your post would have some relevance to the story of Baset's continued plea of innocence. because Britain's most sought after criminal is still enjoying life and freedom, your posts have a very macabre sentiment normally reserved for the British Nationalist supporter such as Robert Cottage, David Copeland, Tony Lecomber, Allen Boyce, Terry Collins, Mark Bullman, Joe Owens, Andrew Berwick and so on.
Simonsaid
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 03:15 PM18vist Stay off the VINO VISTA! The Islamic world would be better employed tackling their own sectarian problems than waging war on Christians If ther Twin Towers had not been hit The Yank would not have been in Iraq or Afghanistan
Simonsaid
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 02:54 PMPS - I bet more than half the murderers in prison would say they are innocent if asked
Simonsaid
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 02:51 PM21Handsome Scotsman Megrahi is so obviously innocent that those still convinced of his guilt have not looked at the farical "evidence" used in his conviction----------------------------------------------------- Farcical evidendece you mean the fact that he was a Libyan Intelligence officer at the time when Libta was the top of the state sponsored terror league. Or, the fact that he just happened to be in Malta on a false passpoirt on the day that the suitcase bomb winged its way from Malra. Or perhaps it was the fact that he just happened to be doing business with a Swiss company who just happened to be makers of timers for bombs. Now why would anyone bother to look anywhere else for the bombers than Libya unless of course they were anti=American. Gaddafi had more than enough rreason to down the lockerbie flight - aftrer all the Yanks tried to kill him when they bomber Tripoloi - Also, It should not be forgotten that it was only monthds later that a similar device downed an Air France flight in the Sahara - France blamed Gaddafi for that. How much more evidence does it take for goodness sake?
the 007 calling from Bahamas!!
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 01:55 PMShould be:" make lives miserable". The problem is the secretary who typed the previous message was educated in Scotland! The result of free university education indeed!
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