A leading investigator in the Lockerbie bombing case has suggested that another trial under Scottish jurisdiction could still take place, reaffirming that the inquiry has never rested, according to Scottish Daily Express newspaper.
Stuart Cossar, who heads the Scottish side of the investigation into the 1988 Pan Am Flight 103 bombing, stated that efforts to bring those responsible to justice are ongoing.
The only person convicted of the attack was Libyan intelligence officer Abdelbaset al-Megrahi. However, another Libyan, Abu Ajila Masud Al-Marimi, is set to stand trial in Washington, D.C. later this year. He is accused of constructing the bomb that caused the disaster.
Cossar, whose first policing assignment was in Lockerbie in 1989, acknowledged the difficulties in pursuing further legal action after 36 years. Many key witnesses have passed away, and forensic technology at the time was limited.
Speaking to 1919 Magazine, he said:
“Who knows in the future? If we are fortunate enough to get other people involved, there may be another trial in Scottish jurisdiction. However, many witnesses are no longer alive, and forensic advancements like DNA analysis were not available at the time of the disaster.”
The Pan Am Flight 103 explosion over Lockerbie, Scotland, on December 21, 1988, killed 270 people—259 passengers and crew, along with 11 Lockerbie residents. Libya accepted responsibility for the attack in 2003 and paid $1 billion in compensation.
Despite this, conspiracy theories persist, with some believing another Middle Eastern entity was responsible. The recent TV drama Lockerbie: A Search for Truth, starring Colin Firth, reignited the debate.
Cossar dismissed these theories, stating: “The evidence against Megrahi is overwhelming. Some believe key evidence was fabricated, but that is completely at odds with the actual truth.”
Cossar criticised the Scottish Government’s 2009 decision to release Megrahi on compassionate grounds, a move that left American families frustrated. He hopes that Al-Marimi’s upcoming trial in the US will bring a sense of justice to victims’ families.
“The trial in America will be proof that we haven’t rested,” he said. “It won’t bring closure, but it will help families in their personal recovery.”
