[This is the headline over a report that appeared in The Independent on this date in 1999. It reads as follows:]
Senior Scottish prosecutors in the Lockerbie bombing case have recently visited the United States to interview a witness who claims to have seen the two Libyan defendants prepare the bomb.
The identity of the mystery witness - a Libyan - is known to The Independent and has been protected since the man went into hiding in the US in 1992 or earlier. His credibility will be crucial to the full trial, which is expected to begin on 2 February next year. [RB: The witness in question was, of course, Abdul Majid Giaka. His testimony at the trial was assessed by the judges as utterly incredible and unreliable. Further details can be found here.]
The news comes as attention focuses on Camp Zeist, a former US base in the Netherlands, where Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi, 47, and al-Amin Khalifa Fhimah, 43, will appear tomorrow for the first time in front of a Scottish judge.
Lord Sutherland will hear a challenge from the men's lawyers to the conspiracy charge, which, it will be claimed, should not be presented to a Scottish court. They will claim that since the alleged conspiracy took place outside Scotland, the court is acting beyond its jurisdiction.
Lawyers for the prosecution were yesterday declining to comment on their contacts with witnesses. The Libyan witness's statements are believed to implicate both defendants in a plot which led to the placing of the bomb on Pan Am flight 103 from Frankfurt to New York, via London, in December 1988.
The two men, alleged to be Libyan intelligence officers, deny the charges of murder, conspiracy to murder and breaching the 1982 Aviation Security Act. They were extradited from Libya to Scottish custody in April this year after an eight-year battle. [RB: Megrahi and Fhimah were not extradited: they voluntarily surrendered themselves for trial.]
It is fascinating to watch the Scottish police and the US Department of Justice leaking information to the media prior to the trial.
ReplyDeleteThe Americans were by this date well aware of the risks associated with key identification witness Majid Giaka, hence their secrecy during the trial about their CIA handler records concerning Giaka's Walter Mitty characteristics.
Not too much, not too little. Just the right amount to condition the public mind. And the "investigative media" fell for it.
One aspect of our famous "British values"
DOSSIER LOCKERBIE, END 2016:
ReplyDeleteAfter 28 years the bomb attack on PanAm 103 is still under investigation and it is still not clear who is finally responsible for it. The true facts behind the attack on PanAm 103 over Lockerbie with 270 victims, are still a well kept secret until today. The central reasons are as follows:
1st:
A fraud of evidence of a Timerfragment MST-13 (PT35) > (PT35/a > PT35/b > DP-31/a.).
A well organised secret operation and disinformtion activities, through a 'RESEDENCY' (disguised Intelligence Management) in order to blame Libya and Mr. Abdelbasset Al Megrahi, did lead to the so called "Lockerbie affair".
2nd:
A well kept secret document (PII) under the pretext "National Security". At the first hearing on the 19th of October 2007 the Appeal court in Edinburgh suddenly confirmed after more than 3 months the existence of a document "under national security"; but keeps ist content closed.
Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini QC agreed on the 20th of February 2008 to open the secret document but the UK Government by Advocate General Lord Davidson, QC, - Westminster's representative in Scottish matters - refused so and argued that it was not in the public interest to release the secret document. He claimed higher national interests: "The national security was at stake"!!!
3rd:
A wrong, but still valid verdict by the Scottish court against Mr. Abdelbasset Al Megrahi and Libya.
4th:
The withdrawal of the Appeal by Al Megrahi (possible miscarirage of justice in 6 points according the SCCRC.)
The withdrawal was influenced by a wrong diagnosis by doctors. He was told that he would live maximum 3 months !
°°°
Now enough with legal procrastination, we started !
With legal support - of Edwin Bollier and Mebo AG - a new application for a renewed or new appeal on behalf of family members of the late Mr. Al Megrahi, will be filed to the SCCRC with all requested and notarized documents. Criminal Law specialist, Aamer Anwar & Co in Glasgow has the mandate to take care of the legal operation in Scotland.
by Edwin & Mahnaz Bollier / MEBO Ltd, supported also - by the Group 'Justice for Al Megrahi' and other People - many thanks.