Lord Advocate asks council leadership for Lockerbie files

Scottish prosecutors have called on the new interim leadership in Libya for information which may lead to a new criminal trial over the Lockerbie bombing.

Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland QC has requested that Libyan authorities hand over any information in relation to the atrocity, which killed 270 people in December 1988.

Abdelbaset ali Mohmed al-Megrahi is the only person to have been convicted of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.

A spokesman said it is accepted that Megrahi “did not act alone” and regime change in Libya will mean the country will assist with the inquiry.

He said: “The trial court accepted that Mr Megrahi acted in furtherance of the Libyan intelligence services in an act of state-sponsored terrorism and did not act alone.

“Lockerbie remains an open inquiry concerning the involvement of others with Mr Megrahi in the murder of 270 people.

“The Crown will continue to pursue lines of inquiry that become available, and following recent events in Libya, has asked the National Transitional Council, through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, for assistance.

“In particular, we have asked the NTC to make available to the Crown any documentary evidence and witnesses which could assist in the inquiries.”

Megrahi, who has terminal prostate cancer, was released on compassionate grounds from Greenock Prison in August 2009, when doctors said he had some three months to live. Amin Khalifa Fhimah also stood trial with Megrahi, but was acquitted of any involvement.