LIBYA was challenged by Scottish Secretary Ian Lang yesterday to hand

over two men accused of the Lockerbie bombing ''without further delay''.

He said at Scottish Questions that the Lord Advocate, Lord Rodger of

Earlsferry, had seen no evidence to cause him not to proceed with

criminal charges.

Mohammed al-Megrahi and Khalifa Fhimah, are due to stand trial in

Scotland on three accusations of conspiracy, murder and a charge under

the Aviation Security Act.

The charges allege that they murdered the 270 victims of the PanAm

Flight 103 bombing on December 21 1988. These were the 259 passengers

and crew, and 11 people in Lockerbie itself.

Last year, the UN Security Council decided to retain sanctions against

Libya for its refusal to hand over the two suspects.

In August, Britain, France and the United States gave Libya until

October 1 to hand them over or face tougher sanctions covering

oil-related, financial and technological fields. These are now in force.

Mr Lang said yesterday that neither he nor the Lord Advocate had

received any recent representations regarding the extradition of the two

accused, who are both Libyan nationals.

''It is now well over two years since warrants were issued for the

arrest of the two accused. We have given comprehensive assurances as to

the fairness of a trial in Scotland and the pre-trial conditions for

such a trial''

He said: ''The Libyan Government should now comply with the relevant

UN Security Council resolutions and hand the two accused over for trial

without further delay''.

Labour MP Norman Godman (Greenock and Port Glasgow) said many people

now believed the two accused would not be brought to trial anywhere.

''Is it true that the Government and the Lord Advocate now have

evidence concerning Syrian and Iranian involvement in this terrible

affair? If so, then sanctions against Libya must have reached the end of

the road.''

Mr Godman called for the setting up of an ''ad hoc'' international

tribunal presided over by a senior Scottish Judge, so that the two could

be tried.

Mr Lang said: ''The accused can be assured of an absolutely fair trial

in Scotland and there is no indication that any alternative arrangement

would be any more acceptable to the Libyans than what is proposed at

present.

''So far as the evidence involving other countries or accused, I can

tell tell you that the Lord Advocate has not seen any evidence which

would cause him not to proceed with the criminal charges that have

already been brought.''