Fhimah not focus of "ongoing Lockerbie investigation"

[The following are excerpts from an article published today in the Scottish Daily Express:]

Prosecutors still believe former airline manager Al-Amin Khalifa Fhimah played a part in the 1988 terror attack and are constantly reviewing the case against him.

Sources within the Scottish legal establishment insist that, if fresh evidence comes to light, he will be brought back in front of a court to face justice. (...)

Recently reformed double jeopardy laws now permit suspects, who have previously been acquitted, to face retrial for the same crime if any new evidence comes to light.

And an insider yesterday suggested the change in the law could put Fhimah back in the dock.

They said: “It has always been believed that Megrahi acted with others and prosecutors obviously thought they had enough evidence to bring Fhimah to court, but he was acquitted.

Their position remains unchanged and the case against Fhimah will probably always be open, always under review.

“He is not the single aspect of the current investigations as there are many different strands to consider.

"However, with double jeopardy now being what it is, if strong new evidence emerged, Fhimah could face another trial.”  (...)

Campaigners, including Dr Jim Swire whose daughter Flora was killed at Lockerbie, do not believe Megrahi was guilty and say the authorities bungled their inquiry. (...)

An official application to review Megrahi’s conviction has been lodged by six of his family members, and 24 British relatives of the victims including Dr Swire.

But solicitor Aamer Anwar, who is co-ordinating the legal bid, said: “The Lord Advocate’s speech in Washington makes for great sound bites with an American audience but lacks analysis of the essential facts.”

He accused the Crown Office of repeating “an age old mantra of the Crown of never doubting the safety of the conviction”, despite “many miscarriages of justice over the years”.

Mr Anwar added: “The case of Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi is described as the worst miscarriage of justice in British legal history for a reason.

“A reversal of the verdict would mean that the governments of the United States and the United Kingdom stand exposed as having lived a monumental lie for 26 years, by imprisoning a man they knew to be innocent.”

A Crown Office spokesman said: “Fhimah is not the focus of the ongoing investigation.

"However, if any further evidence against him comes to light, it will be considered as part of the wider inquiry.”