The father of a Lockerbie bombing victim has urged UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to release all classified government documents related to the tragic event, according to a report by the BBC.
The attack, which killed 270 people just four days before Christmas in 1988, will mark its 36th anniversary this Saturday. Public interest in the case is expected to resurface next year with the release of two TV dramas and the trial of Libyan suspect Abu Ajila Masud in the United States, where he is accused of manufacturing the bomb used in the Pan Am 103 bombing.
Dr. Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora was among the victims, has criticized the British government for withholding critical information about the case.
“The only thing we can do is to ask the UK government to release all documents related to the Lockerbie case,” Swire said. “It would be a tremendous help. After 36 years, a lot of materials remain hidden from the public. Why is it not in the public interest to release them now? Many would find this highly suspicious.”
Renewed Public Interest
Sky TV will premiere a series titled Lockerbie: The Search for Truth on January 2, starring Colin Firth as Dr. Swire. The drama is based on Dr. Swire’s book Lockerbie: A Father’s Quest for Justice. A six-part BBC series on the case will follow later in the year.
In May, the trial of Abu Ajila Masud will begin in a federal court in Washington, D.C., where he stands accused of making the bomb allegedly smuggled aboard Pan Am Flight 103. U.S. authorities claim Masud acted alongside Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, the only person ever convicted in connection with the attack.
Dr. Swire maintains that the bombing was orchestrated by the Syrian-backed Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command (PFLP-GC) in retaliation for the U.S. Navy’s downing of an Iranian passenger plane in 1988, which killed 290 people.
Hidden Evidence and Controversy
The British government has previously blocked the release of classified documents, citing national security concerns. In 2020, then-Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab imposed public interest immunity certificates on these records.
Dr. Swire also disputes the forensic evidence presented during Megrahi’s trial, claiming British experts have proven that fragments of the alleged bomb timer did not match those sold to Libya.
The case continues to spark debate, with many viewing it as a tangled web of international terrorism, intelligence agencies, and competing national interests.
Dr. Swire expressed hope that the upcoming dramas and renewed public scrutiny would shed light on the truth. “You can decide whether to believe the official narrative or the alternative story we’ve been fighting to uncover,” he said.
