UK PM rejects new Lockerbie probe

21 May 2012, 2:07 pm   -   Source: AAP

UK PM David Cameron has dismissed calls for a fresh inquiry into the conviction of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi in the wake of his death.

RELATED

British Prime Minister David Cameron has dismissed calls for a fresh inquiry into the conviction of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, in the wake of his death.

He also reiterated his stance that the Libyan terrorist should never have been released from jail on compassionate grounds nearly three years ago.

Former Libyan intelligence officer Megrahi was sentenced to life in prison for the 1988 bombing of a US airliner over the Scottish town which claimed 270 lives.

He was later diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer and controversially released from prison in August 2009 with an estimated three months to live.

But Megrahi, who always proclaimed his innocence, proved medical experts wrong and finally lost his cancer battle in Tripoli on Sunday at the age of 60, his son said.

The Libyan's death sparked renewed calls from campaigners for an independent inquiry into his conviction, with many raising doubts about his guilt and questioning if he acted alone in carrying out the atrocity.

While the Scottish government said the case remained a live criminal investigation.

Robert Forrester, from the Justice for Megrahi group, said: "The Crown and successive governments have, for years, acted to obstruct any attempts to investigate how the conviction of Mr al-Megrahi came about.

"Some in the legal and political establishments may well be breathing a sigh of relief now that Mr al-Megrahi has died. This would be a mistake.

"Many unfortunates who fell foul of outrageous miscarriages of justice in the past have had their names cleared posthumously."

The group, which is seeking to have Megrahi's conviction quashed, is supported by Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora was killed in the bombing, as well as Nobel Peace Prize Winner Desmond Tutu.

But Cameron moved quickly, saying a new inquiry as unnecessary.

"I've always been clear he should never have been released from prison," he said.

"I'm very clear that the court case was properly done and properly dealt with."

The Prime Minister said thoughts should be with the people who died in the "appalling terrorist act" and the suffering their families have endured.

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond insisted the Lockerbie case remained a live criminal investigation and that authorities would rigorously pursue any new lines of inquiry.

"Mr Megrahi's death ends one chapter of the Lockerbie case, but it does not close the book," he said, adding that the Crown's position has always been that Mr Megrahi acted with others.

The bombing of Pan Am flight 103, travelling from London to New York four days before Christmas, killed all 259 people on board.

Eleven residents of the Dumfries and Galloway town also died after the plane crashed down on their homes in Britain's biggest terrorist atrocity.

After protracted international pressure, Megrahi was put on trial in the Netherlands.

He was found guilty in 2001 of mass murder and was ordered to serve a minimum of 27 years behind bars but was the only man ever brought to justice over the terrorist attack.

The decision, by Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, to release him from Greenock prison and allow him to return home to die in Libya drew international condemnation.

US president Barack Obama and his secretary of state Hillary Clinton branded it "absolutely wrong".

  • Follow us: 
  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on Youtube