Monday 27 September 2010

Angiolini tells Parliament “no evidence of any criminal act” in Pan Am 103 evidence chain

[This is the headline over a news item just published on the website of Scottish lawyers' magazine The Firm. It relates to the written answers given by the Lord Advocate to questions submitted by Christine Grahame MSP. The news item reads in part:]

The Lord Advocate has told the Holyrood Parliament that “there is no evidence of any criminal act having been carried out in relation to any of the forensic evidence in the Lockerbie investigation.”

Elish Angiolini was responding to a Parliamentary question from MSP Christine Grahame (...)

Grahame asked Angiolini if she was aware of the reported comments of former FBI scientist Frederic Whitehurst implying that the FBI laboratory in Washington DC may constitute an additional crime scene in the case.

Former Lord Advocate at the time of the trial, Lord Fraser of Carmyllie, has stated publicly in a television interview for Dutch television in 2009 that he was not aware that the timer fragment known as PT35 was sent to the United States of America for examination by FBI officials, and that he would have opposed such transportation of this fragment on the basis of concerns that it might be lost in transit or provoke accusations that it had been tampered with.

Angiolini said in her Parliamentary answer that she was aware of this information, and confirmed that the fragment was taken to the United States of America by Scottish police officers and a British forensic scientist in June 1990 as part of the investigation into the Lockerbie event.

"There is no evidence of any criminal act having been carried out in relation to any of the forensic evidence in the Lockerbie investigation," she said.

“The fragment remained in the custody and control of the Scottish police officers and the British forensic scientist during the visit to the United States and was subsequently identified as having come from an electronic timer manufactured by a Swiss company, MEBO, to the order of the Libyan intelligence service,” she said.

In July 2007, one week after the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission referred the case back to High Court for Megrahi’s appeal, former MEBO employee Ulrich Lumpert swore an affidavit stating that he had personally manufactured the fragment, and that it had been introduced falsely into the Crown’s evidence chain. He said that he handed the fragment to authorities investigating the case on 22 June 1989, and admitted committing perjury in the Zeist trial, citing fear of his life if his testimony reflected what he narrated in his affidavit. (...)

Angiolini's answers did not narrate what investigations may have been undertaken within the Crown Office or in Scottish police forces to reach the conclusion that there was no evidence of criminal acts.

This is not the first time the conduct of the trail and its handling has been considered a crime. On 14 October 2005, UN Special Observer Hans Kochler concluded that the conduct of the trial of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmend Al Megrahi had concerned him to the extent that a crime may have taken place at Camp Zeist to manufacture the conviction of Megrahi.

“The falsification of evidence, selective presentation of evidence, manipulation of reports, interference into the conduct of judicial proceedings by intelligence services, etc. are criminal offenses in any country,” Kochler's office said in a statement.

“In view of the above new revelations and in regard to previously known facts as reported in Dr. Koechler’s reports, the question of possible criminal responsibility, under Scots law, of people involved in the Lockerbie trial should be carefully studied by the competent prosecutorial authorities.”

9 comments:

  1. I thought this section of the full article was extremely interesting.


    "The Lord Advocate declined to answer Grahame’s question asking if Angilioni would publish any information held related to payments reportedly made by US authorities to key witnesses Tony Gauci, who is understood to have been given $2 million dollars for evidence identifying Megrahi that has been widely discredited.

    “The only forum in which the Scottish Government or the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) can make public any information connected to witnesses involved in the investigation and prosecution of the Lockerbie bombing is in judicial proceedings in Scotland,” she said in response."

    So the Lord Advocate is not concerned then about the prospect of the monies paid to Gauci otherwise she should surely be instigating the judicial proceedings she refers to here herself, you would think?

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  2. MISSION LOCKERBIE: Please accept the challenge !

    Advocate ELISH ANGIOLINI want you Justice ?

    Call of MEBO at Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini for a clearing up Hearing in Edinburgh over the manipulated proofs in the Lockerbie Affair as answer to the Hearing of Senate Foreign Relations Committee in USA on the release of Abdelbaset Megrahi on Wednesday, 29 September 2010.

    +++ Aufruf von MEBO an Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini für ein aufklärendes Hearing in Edinburgh über die manipulierten Beweise in der Lockerbie-Affäre als Antwort zum Hearing des Senate Foreign Relations Committee in USA.

    Ich Edwin Bollier, MEBO Ltd. Switzerland stellt sich einem offiziellen Kollektiv, zusammengesetzt von Experten von RARDE, Scottish Police, etc. für die wahre Aufklärung der Beweis Manipulationen, wie,
    MST-13 Timer-Fragment (PT/35), Air Malta Flug KM-180, Abwicklung in Frankfurt, angebliches "Bomb-Bag" Tray No. B-8849, manipulierte Schriftstücke und "Tags" der Scottish Police, Verschwörung Libyens, Besuch Mr. Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi alias "Ahmed Khalifa Abdusamad" in Malta etc., in Edinburgh UK ab sofort zur Verfügung.

    Dies ist ein möglicher Weg den Lügen und Gerüchten zu Gunsten Mr. Abelbaset Al-Megrahi, Libyen, Air Malta und MEBO Ltd. ein Ende zusetzen.
    Mit bester Empfehlung +++

    This is a possible way the lies and rumors to favour of Mr. Abelbaset Al-Megrahi, Libya, Air Malta and MEBO Ltd. an end add. With best recommendation

    Edwin Bollier, MEBO Ltd. Zurich/ Switzerland
    URL: www.lockerbie.ch

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  3. “The only forum in which the Scottish Government or the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) can make public any information connected to witnesses involved in the investigation and prosecution of the Lockerbie bombing is in judicial proceedings in Scotland,” she said in response."

    This is an extraordinary situation, isn't it? A public body has urged that the Courts hold an appeal. Officials admit that question can't be answered without one. So, where is it? Why aren't people - excepting the happy few upon t'net - even mentioning it?

    By the way, the Scottish Express has regurgitated the Record's piece, with the same "official sources". We're in friend-of-a-friend territory here!

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  4. I have a suggestion:

    Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill should convene an early meeting in his office between the Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini, the English solicitor Gareth Peirce (Maguire Seven, Birmingham Six etc) and the former Labour MEP, Robert Evans.

    They should all watch this edition of BBC Question Time of 25th February 1988 when a young teacher named Robert Evans asks: "Lord Denning said earlier this week it is more important that we retain confidence in the legal and judiciary system than it is that innocent people remain in prison - how do the panel react?"

    The panel's discussion that follows is priceless, and is very apposite to Mr al-Megrahi's current situation.

    That young teacher went on to become Robert Evans MEP from 1994 to 2009, when he stood down saying he wanted a new challenge.

    Robert Evans' new challenge will then be - with the help of Elish and Gareth - to sort out the mess in which the Scottish legal and judicial system has become enmeshed over the appallingly bad Lockerbie investigation, trial and subsequent appeal.

    Scotland is in dire need of an English teacher!

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  5. I don't know why you think Gareth Peirce is any expert on the matter, on the strength of one derivative and incompletely understood article.

    But apart from that, the main problem is that it would never happen.

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  6. Patrick, we have the ability and the authority to investigate this right now. All that is needed is enough pressure to be put on the political and judicial establishments. That pressure is already there and will continue to build, especially, recently, in relation to the appeal.

    As for your Mr Evans, I see when he speaks of his new challenges he also states he wishes to continue to be involved in the Labour Party. Given the involvement in the last Labour Government and the Labour opposition at Holyrood to oppose any moves to investigate Megrahi's conviction I have to say your suggestion of Mr Evans as a suitable investigator is a wee bit inappropriate.

    Blair set up the release deal using Megrahi as a pawn in an oil deal, Blair's Ministers moved heaven and earth to stop anyone getting to vital evidence for the appeal, Blair's government were happy about the delay in the hearing of the appeal as were their counterparts in Edinburgh. So let's face it, Evans' own Party are up to their ears in dishonesty over this whole affair. I doubt this is the sort of challenge that would appeal to him. In any case, we don't need him.

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  7. As for your Mr Evans, I see when he speaks of his new challenges he also states he wishes to continue to be involved in the Labour Party. Given the involvement in the last Labour Government and the Labour opposition at Holyrood to oppose any moves to investigate Megrahi's conviction I have to say your suggestion of Mr Evans as a suitable investigator is a wee bit inappropriate.

    Good point. I didn't look up Mr. Evans.

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  8. Rolfe, the QT link is worth a look. Nice to hear Robin Day again and also hilarious to see a very young Michael Portilo looking about 14. : )

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  9. MISSION LOCKERBIE:
    Also Bollier (MEBO Ltd) was offered up to 4 millions US$ !

    In bginning 1991 I, Edwin Bollier owner of company MEBO Ltd was invited to the FBI Headquarter in Wahington and Commissioner Richard Marquise offered him up to 4 million US$ and a new identity in the States if he would confirm in a police statement that the allegedly found MST-13 timer fragment originated from one of the 20 timers delivered to Libya between 1985 und 1986.

    Now there was no more doubt for me (Bollier) that a huge conspiracy against Libya was on the way...

    Contrary to the Libyan crown witness against Libya, Abdul Jiacha, - an agent in the sold of the CIA – Bollier rejected the offer.
    Jiacha is currently living in the USA under a new identity in rich surrounding field.

    Today Richard Marquise does not stand unfortunately to its statement...
    by Edwin Bollier, MEBO Ltd., Switzerland

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