BBC Scotland’s home affairs correspondent, David Cowan, reported on the potential postponement of the trial of Abu Agila Masud Al-Marimi, a Libyan suspect in the Lockerbie bombing. The trial was scheduled to take place in the United States in May, but both the prosecution and defense have requested a delay. Masud is accused of making the bomb that brought down Pan Am 103 in 1988, resulting in the deaths of 270 individuals.
Masud, referred to as Masud by investigators, allegedly admitted to constructing the explosive device that detonated in the plane’s hold during its journey from London to New York. The trial, originally set for May 12th in Washington, is being put on hold due to Masud’s health issues and the complexity of the case. Government prosecutors have filed a motion to delay the trial start date and are seeking additional time to prepare a revised pretrial schedule.
Reports indicate that Masud, who is in his seventies, has been receiving medical treatment for a non-life-threatening condition. The District Court of the District of Columbia was informed in December that Masud’s health concerns would result in a delay of 90-120 days. Prosecutors are now requesting more time to organize an updated pretrial calendar and establish a new trial commencement date. A status hearing on the case is expected to take place next month if the trial judge approves the delay request.
Masud, identified as a Libyan intelligence agent by the FBI, is believed to have collaborated with Abdelbasset Al-Megrahi, another Libyan national who was convicted of the Lockerbie bombing over two decades ago. The bomb, concealed in a radio cassette player within a Samsonite suitcase, was smuggled onto a flight from Malta in December 1988. Masud reportedly confessed to a Libyan official that Colonel Muammar Gaddafi praised him for carrying out a significant act against the Americans. Masud pleaded not guilty to the charges after being extradited to the United States in November 2022. The Lockerbie bombing, the deadliest terrorist attack on British soil, has attracted renewed public interest ahead of Masud’s trial
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
