Lawyers bid to postpone Lockerbie bombing trial

The trial of Abu Agila Masud al-Marimi, a Libyan suspect in the Lockerbie bombing, which was originally scheduled to begin in the United States in May, may be delayed due to requests from both the prosecution and the defense. Masud is accused of making the bomb that caused the crash of Pan Am Flight 103 in 1988, killing 270 people. The trial, originally scheduled to begin on May 12 in Washington, D.C., has now been requested to be suspended by the U.S. government and the defense.

Scottish and American investigators identified him as Masud, who allegedly confessed to making the explosive device that detonated in the cargo hold as the plane flew from London to New York. A motion filed by government prosecutors requests that the scheduled trial date be vacated, citing Masud's poor health and the complexity of the case. The 70-year-old Libyan is reportedly receiving treatment for a non-life-threatening health condition. In December of last year, the District Court for the District of Columbia was informed that Masud's health would cause a 90-120 day delay.

Prosecutors stated that "additional delays" appear likely based on "additional information." Lawyers have requested more time to prepare a revised pre-trial schedule and set a new trial date. The U.S. government is also continuing to provide the defense with copies of materials and evidence planned for use at trial. A status hearing on the case will be held next month if the trial judge approves the request.

The FBI stated that Masud was a Libyan intelligence operative who acted in concert with Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi. Megrahi, his compatriot, was convicted of murdering the 270 victims more than two decades ago after being tried in a Scottish court in the Netherlands. The bomb was hidden inside a radio cassette player in a Samsonite suitcase, which was then smuggled onto the plane from Malta on the morning of December 21, 1988. This unaccompanied bag was transferred to a Pan Am feeder flight from Frankfurt to London, where it was loaded onto Pan Am Flight 103.

Masud reportedly told Libyan law enforcement officials that the country's dictator, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, later thanked him for carrying out "a great national duty against the Americans." This confession was allegedly made in 2012 while Masud was detained in Libya during the uprising against Gaddafi's regime. The grandfather was taken from his home in Tripoli by a militia group in November 2022 and handed over to U.S. authorities under circumstances that have not been fully explained. Amid strong opposition from opposition politicians, Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh of the internationally backed Government of National Unity said they had been complying with requests issued through Interpol. Masud pleaded not guilty to the charges after appearing in court in Washington in December 2022.

The Lockerbie bombing has regained public attention in the run-up to Masud's trial. A Sky TV drama starring Colin Firth, which tells the story of a British victim's father, has sparked controversy, while a BBC/Netflix production is scheduled to air later this year.