Appeal recommended for convicted Libyan bomber.

As I recall there is evidence against al-Megrahi being the bomber as well. It seemed as if there was a strong desire to convict him, show that Libya was involved, and close the books on the case. As the article mentions even some of the families of victims were troubled by the trial and verdict. Libya was anxious to co-operate it seems in order to help its international reputation.


Convicted Lockerbie bomber wins right to appeal
Last Updated: Thursday, June 28, 2007 | 8:20 AM ET
The Associated Press
A judicial panel recommended Thursday that an appeal be granted to the man convicted of the 1988 airliner bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland.


The Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission described the evidence used to convict Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi, shown heading into court in 1992, as unreliable.
(Jockel Fink/Associated Press)
Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi, a former Libyan intelligence agent, is serving a life sentence for the bombing that claimed the lives of 270 people.

However, the long-expected report by the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission described the evidence used to convict him as unreliable and recommended he be allowed to appeal.

The report will now be submitted to the Court of Appeal in Edinburgh, which will decide whether an appeal is warranted.



A number of people, including the families of some of the victims, have in the past questioned the evidence against al-Megrahi, calling it circumstantial at best.

All 259 people aboard the Pan American jetliner, including two Canadians, were killed when a bomb brought down the plane over the Scottish village. Eleven people on the ground also died.