Lockerbie bombing: Megrahi’s death a ‘sad event’ says Dr Jim Swire

DR JIM Swire, whose daughter Flora was killed in the bombing said today that the reported death of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was a “very sad event”.

Dr Swire, a member of the Justice for Megrahi (JFM) group, believes there is evidence yet to be released that will prove Megrahi’s innocence.

“It’s a very sad event,” he told Sky News.

“I met him last time face-to-face in Tripoli in December last year, when he was very sick and in a lot of pain.

“But he still wanted to talk to me about how information which he and his defence team have accumulated could be passed to me after his death.

“And I think that’s a fairly amazing thing for a man who knows he’s dying to do.

Dr Swire added: “Right up to the end he was determined - for his family’s sake, he knew it was too late for him, but for his family’s sake - how the verdict against him should be overturned.

“And also he wanted that for the sake of those relatives who had come to the conclusion after studying the evidence that he wasn’t guilty, and I think that’s going to happen.”

David Ben-Ayreah, a spokesman for the victims of Lockerbie families, said: “I was told seven days ago by very good sources in Tripoli that he was slipping in and out of quite deep comas, that the secondary tumours had affected his abdomen and lower chest, and that he had had three blood transfusions.

“His death is to be deeply regretted.

“As someone who attended the trial I have never taken the view that Megrahi was guilty.

“Megrahi is the 271st victim of Lockerbie.”