Man accused of making bomb in Lockerbie attack in US custody

Abu Agila Mohammad Mas'ud Kheir al-Marim, the man accused of making the bomb that blew up he Pan Am 103 flight over Lockerbie in 1988 is now in US custody.

Mas'ud Kheir al-Marim, is said to be the “third conspirator” behind the attack which saw 243 passengers and 16 crew killed when the device, planted on the airliner, exploded at 38,000ft.

Scottish authorities said on Sunday that families of those killed in the attack were informed that suspect Abu Agila Mohammad Mas'ud Kheir al-Marimi is in US custody.

"Scottish prosecutors and police, working with UK government and US colleagues, will continue to pursue this investigation, with the sole aim of bringing those who acted along with al-Megrahi to justice."

The US Justice Department has confirmed it has al-Marimi in custody over the bombing.

In 2020, al-Marimi was charged by the US Attorney General William Barr with being the third person involved in the terrorist attack.

At the time, he was said to be in Libyan custody and Barr said US authorities would work “arm in arm” with their Scottish counterparts.

“Let there be no mistake, no amount of time or distance will stop the US and our Scottish partners from pursuing justice in this case,” he said.

Malta connection

Maltese businessman Tony Gauci was one of the most vital witnesses at the trial of the two men accused of involvement in the Lockerbie airliner bombing.

But his role in the long-running investigation and subsequent trial came only by chance when bomber Abdel Baset Ali Mohmed Al-Megrahi walked into his shop in December 1988, a few weeks before the fatal flight.

Al-Megrahi bought some clothes he later used to fill the suitcase containing the bomb from Gauci's shop.

Police investigating the blast traced charred shards of a sky blue baby romper suit, umbrella and adult clothes found in the plane's wreckage to Gauci's small family-run shop in Sliema. 

The detective work meant Gauci was involved in the investigation almost immediately.

But in the intervening years, serious doubts were cast on Gauci’s testimony.

The Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission had described Gauci as an unreliable witness. It later emerged that the SCCRC said the Crown prosecution had witheld statements showing the extent to which Gauci had changed his mind about crucial details over the years from Megrahi’s defence team.

Maltese officers revealed Gauci was unsure, was coached and told to age the photos by ten to 15 years. 

Documents later published purported to reveal that the lead investigator in the Lockerbie bombing had personally lobbied the US authorities to pay at least $3 million to Gauci and his brother Paul for their assistance Al-Megrahi's conviction. One memo reportedly revealed how the FBI and Scottish police had discussed an offer of unlimited cash to Gauci – with “$10,000 available immediately”. Paul was never called as a witness.

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