Libyans will hand over any new Lockerbie evidence – Salmond

ALEX Salmond said the Scottish Government had made contact with the Libyan National Transitional Council in an attempt to ensure that any intelligence uncovered about the Lockerbie bombing is passed to the Scottish authorities.

The First Minister said the Scottish Government had been in touch with the council, which had indicated that it would keep communication lines open with Scotland regarding the mass murder of 270 people in flight Pan Am 103.

He was responding to a question at First Minister’s Question Time from Christine Grahame, the SNP MSP who believes in the innocence of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi, right, the Libyan intelligence agent convicted of the crime.

Mr Salmond confirmed that contact had been made with the Transitional Council before adding: “This is an open investigation as the Crown Office has always made clear and they along with the police will continue to pursue any lines of inquiry that may arise.

“That of course would refer to protection of any evidence that would shed light on this issue. Now the National Transitional Council have indicated a willingness to maintain contact on this issue. They did make quite a reasonable point I think that they have an immediate focus in Libya of restoring civil order and to rebuild services as the current conflict draws to a close.”