A Libyan man who allegedly made the bomb that blew up a Pan Am flight over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988 is now in U.S. custody, officials said Sunday.
Scottish authorities said Abu Agila Masud had been handed over to the United States to face trial. He was first charged by the U.S. in 2020 with playing an integral part in the Lockerbie attack. The bombing completely destroyed Pan Am Flight 103, killing all 259 people on board and an additional 11 people on the ground when the plane's wreckage fell on their homes.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Another Libyan national, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, was convicted of actually carrying out the bombing, and was sentenced to life in prison. He remains the only person convicted for the attack, but joint American and Scottish authorities are now looking to change that with the charges against Masud.
"Scottish prosecutors and police, working with [the] U.K. government and U.S. colleagues, will continue to pursue this investigation, with the sole aim of bringing those who acted along with al-Megrahi to justice," the Scottish Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) told BBC News. COPFS added that the families of the Lockerbie victims had also been notified.
A Justice Department spokesperson confirmed to Reuters that Masud is now in American custody, telling the outlet that he is expected to make his first appearance in a Washington, D.C., federal court in the coming days.
-
August 30 editorial cartoonsCartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump's role reversal and King George III
-
5 bullseye cartoons about the reasons for mass shootingsCartoons Artists take on gun worship, a price paid, and more
-
Lisa Cook and Trump's battle for control the US FedTalking Point The president's attempts to fire one of the Federal Reserve's seven governor is represents 'a stunning escalation' of his attacks on the US central bank
-
Incendiary device plot: Russia's 'rehearsals' for attacks on transatlantic flightsThe Explainer Security officials warn of widespread Moscow-backed 'sabotage campaign' in retaliation for continued Western support for Ukraine
-
Russia and Iran 'up the ante' after meeting in TurkmenistanThe Explainer Two nations talk up their closer ties but some in Tehran believe Putin 'still owes' them
-
Secret plan for UK to protect Irish skiesUnder The Radar Relations between Dublin and London have historically been strained but covert co-operation has endured for decades
-
Houthi air strikes: why wasn't Parliament consulted?Today's Big Question It is convention for prime ministers to put military action to a vote but it's not a constitutional requirement
-
British warship repels 'largest Houthi attack to date' in the Red SeaSpeed read Western allies warn of military response to Iranian-backed Yemeni rebels if attacks on ships continue
-
Houthi rebels claim Red Sea ship attacksspeed read Iran-backed Yemeni group vows to escalate aggression towards Israel-linked vessels in revenge for Gaza war
-
Israel plans next phase of Gaza war as first hostages releasedSpeed read After four-day ceasefire 'we will not stop' until destruction of Hamas, says Israel
-
Mob storms Russian airport 'looking for Jews'Speed Read Plane from Israel surrounded by rioters chanting antisemitic slogans after landing in Russia's Dagestan region
