The trial of a Libyan man accused in the Lockerbie bombing has been postponed for a third time. This delay follows the emergence of new evidence in the 37-year-old case.
Jury selection was scheduled to begin in Washington DC on Wednesday. However, lawyers for Abu Agila Mas'ud Kheir Al-Marimi cited "newly discovered evidence" that was previously unknown. This evidence came to light on Friday, August 21, just three days before the trial was set to start. The postponement means a new start date has been set for January next year.
This development adds another chapter to a long-running international legal process. The Lockerbie bombing, which occurred on December 21, 1988, killed 270 people. This includes 259 passengers and crew on Pan Am Flight 103 and 11 people on the ground in Lockerbie, Scotland. The incident remains the worst terror attack and mass murder in British history. The ongoing pursuit of justice highlights the enduring impact of such events on international relations and legal systems.
Trial judge Dabney Friedrich agreed to set aside the original start date. This decision underscores the potential importance of the new evidence. Lawyers for Al-Marimi stated that constitutional and ethical obligations require them to investigate this development. They met with Al-Marimi, who agreed to the request for postponement.
This latest delay means a verdict might not come until next spring. This extends the wait for justice for the relatives of those who died. Campaigner Kara Weipz, president of the Victims of Pan Am Flight 103 group, expressed being "floored" by the news. She hopes older relatives of victims will remain healthy to witness the trial. Dr. Jim Swire, whose daughter died in the bombing, believes the delay could be beneficial if it ensures more careful consideration of evidence.
Al-Marimi has been in US custody since 2022. He was originally scheduled to stand trial in May 2025. That date was postponed due to the case's complexity and Al-Marimi's ill health. The trial was then pencilled in for April this year but was again called off. This was after the defence requested more time to prepare their case.
The Lockerbie bombing has been the subject of a joint Scottish-US investigation since December 1988. Prosecutors from the Crown Office and detectives from Police Scotland were due to attend the case. Scottish witnesses were also expected to give evidence. Laura Buchan, head of the Lockerbie investigation team, acknowledged the disappointment for families. She affirmed Scottish authorities' commitment to supporting the pursuit of justice.
Al-Marimi, a grandfather in his 70s, is accused of building the bomb. He denies this charge. He was allegedly involved with two other Libyans who faced a Scottish court in May 2000. That court, held at Camp Zeist in the Netherlands, convicted Abdulbasset Al-Megrahi of mass murder. He died from cancer in 2012 after being freed on compassionate grounds. The second Libyan, Al Amin Khalifah Fhimah, was acquitted.
The US government claims Al-Marimi admitted to bombing the plane with Megrahi and Fhimah. This alleged confession was made during questioning in a Libyan detention facility in 2012. It was handed to Scottish investigators in 2017 and is central to the prosecution's case. Al-Marimi maintains the confession is false and was made under duress. Judge Friedrich previously ruled on the admissibility of this confession.