Lockerbie bomber is innocent, says acquitted suspect

A Libyan man who was cleared of carrying out the Lockerbie bombing today called for his co-accused, who was jailed for the atrocity, to be freed.

Speaking publicly for the first time in an interview with the Scotsman, Al Amin Khalifa Fhimah said he was "totally convinced" of the innocence of Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, who was jailed for life in January.

Mr Fhimah's comments were published as Megrahi was granted leave to appeal against his conviction for murder.

A panel of three judges ruled he was guilty of killing the 270 people who died when Pan Am flight 103 was blown out of the sky over Lockerbie in December 1988.

An appeal hearing will be heard by five judges at Camp Zeist in the Netherlands, the special Scottish court built for the original trial.

Interviewed at the offices of his Libyan lawyers, Mr Fhimah, 44, who received a hero's welcome on his return home, said he would campaign for the release of Megrahi.

He said: "I'm happy that the truth came out as far as I'm concerned. I hope that the same thing will happen soon to Mr Megrahi and I will see him back in Libya. I am totally convinced he is innocent. I hope the appeal judges study this case carefully."

Mr Fhimah said he believed it was an "accident" that the bomb had gone off while the plane was flying over Lockerbie, killing 11 people on the ground as well as the 259 passengers.

He said: "Whoever was planning to bomb the aircraft, he didn't know where the aircraft would come down. Scotland was involved by chance.

"The Scottish people became the victims by accident. You are dealing with a plane that was flying all over the land. I know this as an airline official."

He added that he was angry that the families of some of the American victims were pursuing him for civil damages through the US courts in a lawsuit which carries his name. He said: "They should be ashamed of themselves and remove my name. I was under a court and the court gave its ruling."

Megrahi, 49, lodged notice of his intention to appeal against conviction in February.

His legal team lodged the full grounds of appeal several months ago, but they are yet to be made public. However, this week a judge ruled that the appeal should go ahead.

Megrahi's defence team are likely to challenge evidence which came from Tony Gauci, a Maltese shopkeeper who identified him as a man who bought clothing from his store shortly before the bombing.

Remnants of that clothing were found scattered around Lockerbie after the atrocity and there was evidence that the clothes were packed around the bomb which blew up the aircraft.

The reliability of Mr Gauci's evidence was questioned during the trial. The defence is also expected to question whether the trial judges were entitled to decide that Megrahi was the man who bought the clothes.

Megrahi was convicted of murder by three Scottish judges - Lords Sutherland, Coulsfield and MacLean - at his trial at Camp Zeist.

An appeal will be heard by five judges who have not yet been named.

Related articles
24.08.2001: PanAm bomber wins leave to appeal over conviction
10.04.2001: Mandela questions Lockerbie verdict
Top QC joins Lockerbie bomber's appeal team
06.07.01 Scotland sends out barber for bomber

Useful links
Free my friend too - the Scotsman
The verdict (pdf)
Lockerbie links

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