The latest on the Lockerbie bombing suspect in US custody

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18 Min Read
3 hr 31 min ago

Family member of Lockerbie bombing victim speaks after Mas’ud’s initial appearance in court 

From CNN’s Holmes Lybrand

Stephanie Bernstein, the widow of Lockerbie bombing victim Mike Bernstein, talks to reporters Monday alongside her daughter, Sara, on Monday.
Stephanie Bernstein, the widow of Lockerbie bombing victim Mike Bernstein, talks to reporters Monday alongside her daughter, Sara, on Monday. (Olivier Douliery/AFP/Getty Images)

Stephanie Bernstein, whose husband was killed in the attack on the Pan Am flight, spoke to reporters outside the Washington, DC, District Court following the initial appearance of the bombing suspect Abu Agila Mohammad Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi.

“It is fitting that we are coming up on the 34th anniversary of the bombing and that we, at last, have the man responsible for making the bomb,” Bernstein said. 

Bernstein’s husband, Michael Stuart Bernstein, was the assistant deputy director of the Criminal Division’s Office of Special Investigations, charged with prosecuting Nazis. 

When asked how she felt after hearing that the government could not pursue the death penalty because of when the attack was perpetrated, Bernstein said, “the important thing is that he is here to face the charges of murder of 270 people, of 190 American citizens. That is what’s really important.”

“It’s a tremendous amount of satisfaction,” she said of being at the court for Mas’ud’s initial appearance. “He is the first person responsible for the death of my husband to actually be tried on US soil.”

3 hr 27 min ago

Lockerbie bombing suspect makes initial court appearance in DC federal court 

From CNN’s Holmes Lybrand and Devan Cole 

Suspect Abu Agila Mohammad Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi appears in court on Monday.
Suspect Abu Agila Mohammad Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi appears in court on Monday. (Sketch by Bill Hennessy)

Lockerbie bombing suspect Abu Agila Mohammad Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi made an initial court appearance on Monday in DC federal court, where he was formally charged in connection with the December 1988 terrorist attack. 

Though US Magistrate Judge Robin Meriweather informed Mas’ud of the three criminal counts he’s been charged with by the government and read him his rights, he did not enter a plea, citing the need to retain counsel before proceeding in the case.

The court scheduled a pre-trial detention hearing on Dec. 27 to give Mas’ud time to retain counsel.

(Sketch by Bill Hennessy)
(Sketch by Bill Hennessy)

Mas’ud, dressed in a long prison jumpsuit and wearing a white beard, walked slowly, almost limping, to the defense table before putting in his headphones to hear an interpreter. He spoke very little but did tell the judge he “took some medication and I have some flu,” the interpreter said.

The charges brought against Mas’ud include “destruction of aircraft resulting in death,” which carries with it the death penalty, a life sentence and a fine of up to $250,000, or a combination of the prison term and the fine. 

Prosecutors said they do not plan to pursue the death penalty in the case because the punishment was not constitutionally available the year the crime was committed.

7 hr 51 min ago

Here is a timeline of key events since the 1988 Lockerbie bombing

From CNN staff

Wrecked houses are seen after the 1988 bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland.
Wrecked houses are seen after the 1988 bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland. (Martin Cleaver/AP)

A lot has happened between the Pan Am Flight 103 explosion over Lockerbie, Scotland, and the US taking custody of suspect Abu Agila Mohammad Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi.

Here’s a short timeline of the events that have occurred since the bombing:

Dec. 21, 1988: Pan Am Flight 103 explodes 31,000 feet over Lockerbie, Scotland, 38 minutes after takeoff from London. The 259 people on board the New York-bound Boeing 747 are killed, along with 11 people on the ground.

July 1990: The British Civil Aviation Authority’s Air Investigation Branch officially reports that an explosive device caused the explosion.

Nov. 13, 1991: US and British investigators indict Libyans Megrahi and Fhimah on 270 counts of murder, conspiracy to murder and violating Britain’s 1982 Aviation Security Act. The men are accused of being Libyan intelligence agents.

Dec. 15, 1998: A US appeals court rules relatives of the 189 Americans killed in the bombing can sue Libya for its possible role in sponsoring the attack.

April 5, 1999: Libya hands over the suspects to the United Nations. They are taken to the Netherlands to stand trial.

May 3, 2000: The trial of suspects Megrahi and Fhimah begins.

Jan. 31, 2001: Megrahi is found guilty and jailed for a minimum of 27 years. Fhimah is found not guilty.

October 2008: It is announced that Megrahi is suffering from terminal cancer.

November 2008: Then-US Sen. Frank Lautenberg announced at a press conference that the families of American victims of the Pan-Am bombing have received final compensation from the Libyan government. Each family received about $10 million, paid in installments between 2004 and 2008.

Aug. 20, 2009: Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill announces that Megrahi will be released from prison on compassionate grounds due to his terminal cancer. After being released, Megrahi returns to Libya and receives a jubilant welcome.

May 20, 2012: Megrahi dies in Libya.

Dec. 21, 2020: Then-US Attorney General William Barr announces criminal charges against former Libyan intelligence officer Abu Agela Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi. Mas’ud is charged in a criminal complaint with for allegedly providing the suitcase with the prepared explosive that was later placed onboard the flight. He is currently in custody in Libya.

Dec. 11, 2022 – The US Justice Department says that alleged bombmaker Mas’ud is in US custody and is expected to make his “initial appearance in the US District Court for the District of Columbia.” He was in custody in Libya.

8 hr 36 min ago

From CNN’s Gabby Gretener in London 

Scotland’s Lord Advocate, the chief legal officer of the Scottish government, will meet with US prosecutors in Washington “next week” regarding the Lockerbie bombing investigation, according to a statement released Monday.

“The steps taken by the US justice authorities are significant and progress towards a legal breakthrough is welcomed by Scottish prosecutors and police,” Scottish Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain said in the statement. “The tragic events of December 1988 have bound Scotland and the US together in deep loss and steadfast determination that all those who committed this atrocity should be brought before a court.”

“I am going to Washington DC next week where I will have meetings with US prosecutors and attend commemorative events to mark the anniversary of the tragedy,” Bain said. “Ongoing engagement here and in the US between law enforcement authorities, and with families who lost loved ones, is an important feature of this case.”

More context: A Libyan man, Abu Agila Mohammad Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi, is in US custody for his role in building the bomb that destroyed Pan Am flight 103 on December 21st, 1988. The United States charged him for his involvement two years ago, a spokesman for the UK Crown Office and Prosecutor Fiscal Service told CNN on Sunday. 

The attack killed 270 people as the bomb detonated over Lockerbie, Scotland as it flew from London to New York. The Lockerbie bombing remains the deadliest terrorist attack to have taken place in the UK.

“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,” Bain added.

Scotland’s Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said in the statement that it would not comment further on the progress or next steps of the investigation at this time.

8 hr 26 min ago

Widow of Lockerbie passenger calls for trial of arrested bombing suspect to begin “immediately”

Victoria Cummock speaks to the media on Monday.
Victoria Cummock speaks to the media on Monday. (CNN)

Victoria Cummock, widow of Lockerbie passenger John B. Cummock and founder & CEO of Pan Am 103 Lockerbie Legacy Foundation, said at a news conference today that the families of those who died are asking for the arrested bombing suspect’s trial to begin “immediately.”

She said that for the past 34 years, the failure by the US Department of Justice to prosecute anyone associated with the bombing “felt like a betrayal.”

She called today’s arraignment of the suspect in Washington, D.C., which is scheduled for 1 p.m. today, the “first significant step” to hold any suspect accountable.

“Justice delayed is justice denied,” Cummock said.

Speaking about her husband John, she called him her “best friend” who was the father of their three children. She said he was 38 when he died. She said her children were ages three, four and six when John died in the bombing.

“I know that if I had been on that plane, John would have been trying to push for justice on the Americans’ behalf just like I have,” Cummock said.

“He really was a remarkable human being,” she added.

9 hr ago

Lockerbie suspect’s court appearance is “a significant first step” in accountability, victim’s wife says

Victoria Cummock, left, is the widow of Lockerbie bombing victim John Cummock, seen at right.
Victoria Cummock, left, is the widow of Lockerbie bombing victim John Cummock, seen at right. (CNN/Victoria Cummock)

The arrignment of a Libyan man who is suspected of involvement in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing that killed 270 people “is the first tangible step made by the US Department of Justice in 34 years to hold any suspect accountable in US courts,” says Victoria Cummock, widow of Pan Am flight 103 bombing passenger.

Abu Agila Mohammad Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi is expected to make an initial court appearance Monday afternoon 1 p.m. ET at a federal court in Washington, DC. Authorities in the US and Scotland announced Sunday that he is now in US custody. The US charged Al-Marimi for his alleged involvement in the bombing two years ago, a spokesman for the UK Crown Office and Prosecutor Fiscal Service told CNN.

“Aside from issuing the 1991 criminal indictments against two Libyans — al Megrahi and Fhimah — and then the 2020 criminal charges against Mas’ud, US authorities have never arrested or prosecuted any suspects in 34 years. And to the American victims’ families, this really has felt like a betrayal by US authorities to the thousands that regularly pledge allegiance to America and its flag,” Cummock told CNN.

Two other Libyans were previously tried for the bombing. Abdelbeset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi was sentenced in 2001 to 27 years in prison, but was released from prison after being diagnosed with cancer. He died in 2012. Al Amin Khalifah Fhimah was acquitted.

Today’s arraignment will be “a significant first step to address the three-decades-long miscarriage of justice,” she added. “It is the victims’ families’ fervent wish that the US criminal trial proceedings begin immediately since justice delayed is justice denied.”

The suspect’s arraignment news makes Cummock feel “hopeful that we will finally get to hear a little bit about the truth of who ordered the attack,” she said Monday, adding that she is also also hopeful that all the conspirators will be brought to justice.

9 hr 35 min ago

Families of Lockerbie bombing victims have been informed that the suspect is in US custody

From CNN’s Gabby Gretener

The UK official told CNN that “the families of those killed in the Lockerbie bombing have been told that the suspect “Mas’ud” or “Masoud” 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 official added.

The Lockerbie bombing remains the deadliest terrorist attack to have taken place in the United Kingdom. It killed 259 people on board the airliner, along with 11 on the ground.

9 hr 47 min ago

Lockerbie bombing suspect to make first court appearance at 1 p.m. ET Monday in Washington

From CNN’s Evan Perez

Libyan man accused of being involved in making the bomb that destroyed Pan Am flight 103 over the town of Lockerbie in December 1988 is expected to make an initial court appearance Monday afternoon during an arraignment hearing in Washington, DC.

Authorities in the US and Scotland announced Sunday that the suspect, Abu Agila Mohammad Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi, is now in US custody. The US charged Al-Marimi for his alleged involvement in the bombing two years ago, a spokesman for the UK Crown Office and Prosecutor Fiscal Service told CNN.

Al-Marimi is expected to be arraigned at 1 p.m. ET at a federal court in Washington.

He had been in custody in Libya for unrelated crimes when he was charged by the Justice Department two years ago.

The attack killed 270 people as the bomb detonated over the Scottish town as it flew from London to New York, and it remains the deadliest terrorist attack to have taken place in the United Kingdom.

Abdelbeset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi was accused along with Al Amin Khalifah Fhimah of placing explosives in a portable cassette and radio player that was inside a suitcase on the plane. Megrahi was sentenced in 2001 to 27 years in prison, but was released from prison after being diagnosed with cancer. He died in 2012. Fhimah was acquitted.

CNN’s Gabby Gretener and Evan Perez contributed reporting to this post.

9 hr 56 min ago

Here’s a recap of what happened in the Lockerbie bombing

A police officer walks away from the wreckage of the jet that exploded and crashed over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988.
A police officer walks away from the wreckage of the jet that exploded and crashed over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988. (Roy Letkey/AFP/Getty Images)

On Dec. 21, 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 exploded 31,000 feet over Lockerbie, Scotland — 38 minutes after takeoff from London.

United States and British investigators found fragments of a circuit board and a timer, and ruled that a bomb, not mechanical failure, caused the explosion.

The attack had killed 270 people — 259 people on board the airliner, along with 11 on the ground — as the bomb detonated over the Scottish town as it flew from London to New York.

It remains the deadliest terrorist attack to have taken place in the United Kingdom

Libyans Abdelbeset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi and Al Amin Khalifah Fhimah were tried for the bombing. They were accused of placing explosives in a portable cassette and radio player that was inside a suitcase on the plane. Megrahi was sentenced in 2001 to 27 years in prison, but was released from prison after being diagnosed with cancer. He died in 2012. Fhimah was acquitted.

Two years ago, the US charged a Libyan man, Abu Agila Mohammad Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi, for his alleged involvement in making the bomb that destroyed the flight. He is now in US custody.

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