The trial of Libyan national Abu Agila Masud Kheir al-Marimi, accused by the United States of constructing the bomb that destroyed Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie in 1988, has been delayed yet again.
This marks the second postponement of a case that has already stretched across decades and remains one of the most complex terrorism prosecutions in modern history.
Masud, who has denied all allegations, was originally due to stand trial in May 2025. The date was later moved to April 2026, before his defence team requested an additional delay, arguing they require far more time to analyse the vast body of evidence collected over 37 years. He has been held in US custody since his transfer in 2022.
According to court filings, the defence must review an extraordinary volume of material: 356 gigabytes of digital data, more than 413,000 separate files, expert analyses covering DNA, fingerprints, palm prints, explosives, facial recognition and handwriting, along with thousands of pages of transcripts from previous trials and investigations.
The documents also include evidence in multiple foreign languages and extensive records from international intelligence agencies.
Lawyers said Masud is eager for the trial to begin but understands the scale of preparation required. Prosecutors strongly opposed any further postponement, warning the court that many of the key witnesses are now in their 80s.
Each additional delay, they said, increases the risk that important testimony could be lost due to death or declining health. They also stressed that families of the victims — now elderly themselves — “have waited more than three decades for justice.”
The judge has set aside the April date, and legal teams are now exploring whether the trial could begin in the summer of 2026, dependent on witness availability. Pan Am Flight 103 was destroyed on 21 December 1988, killing all 259 passengers and crew, as well as 11 residents of Lockerbie struck by the wreckage.
