The case of a Libyan citizen suspected of being involved in the Lockerbie bombing has gained renewed attention, as Scottish authorities welcome the set trial date in the United States.
The 72-year-old, Abu Agila Mas’ud Al-Marimi is scheduled to appear in a Washington DC court on 12 May 2025, facing three charges that he denies, according to the Scottish Daily Express.
The allegations suggest his involvement in constructing the bomb that caused the explosion of Pan American Flight 103. This claimed the lives of all 259 passengers and crew members en route from London to New York, 35 years ago on 21 December 1988.
The Lord Advocate, Dorothy Bain welcomed the trial date, stating, “The court in Washington, DC, has now fixed a date of May 12, 2025, for Mas’ud’s trial. I welcome this development and feel reassured by the progress in the court proceedings.”
She continued, “Scottish and US authorities have worked together since 1988 to bring those responsible for these atrocities to justice. This ongoing effort is supported by a dedicated team of Scottish prosecutors, officers from Police Scotland, the US Department of Justice, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in this trial.”
After being convicted in 2001 by three Scottish judges in a special court in the Netherlands, Abdel-Baset Al-Megrahi and was imprisoned in in Scotland. However, he was controversially released in 2009 after being diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer, returning to Libya where he passed away in 2012.
The Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) handed over the former spy to the US, a move that was criticised across the country.
In August, the Prime Minister of the Libyan Parliament-designated government, Osama Hammad met with Al-Marimi’s family. This was to discuss the latest updates regarding his extradition case and its merits.
During the meeting, Hammad expressed a firm stance against the “cowardly extradition process executed against a Libyan citizen. The operation represents a clear violation of Libyan sovereignty.”
The PM emphasized that “this process was conducted by the US administration, with the complicity of the outgoing government, disregarding the rights of Libyan citizens shamefully.”
Furthermore, Hammad underscored the “importance of foreign countries respecting Libyan law, and highlighted the necessity of ensuring justice in the event of any accusations against a Libyan citizen.”
The PM assured the family that the government “remains fully committed to staying updated on the developments of the case.”
Moreover, the government will “cover all the costs associated with a specialized law firm that will carefully examine the case, working towards the safe return of Abu Ajila to his family, and homeland.”
In June, the family raised concerns over his deteriorating health, noting that he has recently been hospitalized due to multiple chronic illnesses.