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.''
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