FOR LOCKERBIE

DOJ Charges Libyan as Alleged Bombmaker in 1988’s Pan Am Flight 103 Attack

The explosion on the jetliner over Lockerbie, Scotland, killed 270 people just days before Christmas.

The Department of Justice on Monday announced criminal charges against the alleged bombmaker involved in the 1988 terrorist attack on Pan Am Flight 103, 32 years after the trans-Atlantic tragedy. Abu Agela Masud Kheir Al-Marimi, a former Libyan intelligence operative, is facing multiple charges—including the destruction of an aircraft and a vehicle resulting in death—“for his role in the bombing that exploded” over Lockerbie, Scotland 32 years ago and killed 270 people. Masud is the third person to be charged in the terrorist attack. Another suspect was found guilty in Scotland of the bombing in 2001—and freed in 2009 on compassionate-release grounds. According to the criminal complaint unsealed Monday in Washington, prosecutors allege Masud assembled the device that was used to blow up the Pan Am plane, killing 190 Americans about 38 minutes into the flight. The plane had taken off from London’s Heathrow and was en route to New York City.

“As to all the victims and the families, we cannot take away your pain from your loss, but we can seek justice for you,” Attorney General William Barr said. “Our message to other terrorists around the world is this—you will not succeed—if you attack Americans, no matter where you are, no matter how long it takes, you will be pursued to the ends of the earth until justice is done.” Masud is serving a 10-year sentence for making another bomb in Tripoli, the Libyan capital.

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Pilar MelendezSenior National Reporter

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