By Callum Paton.
Tripoli, 18 December 2013:
Abduallah Senussi will be questioned by British and American authorities over the 1988 Lockerbie bombing which . . .[restrict]killed 270 people, according to Justice Minister Salah Marghani.
He told British television channel ITV that the Libyan Ministry of Justice was working to finalise arrangements with US and UK authorities to ensure they had access to all available evidence.
The only person to have been convicted in connection with the bombing of Pam Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie in Scotland was Libyan intelligence officer Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi.
Marghani was quoted on ITV’s website as saying: “In order to learn the lessons of history and give rest and assurances and comfort to the families of the victims – we should know everything about what happened to their loved ones during that terrible, terrible crime.” He added that he was sure that all Libyans felt ashamed that the name of Libya should, even during the Qaddafi era, be connected to such a horrible crime.
Although greeted positively abroad, Marghani’s announcement has been met with criticism from Libyan quarters. Some politicians have claimed the investigations could lead to Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief being extradited to face trial for international crimes.
Senussi, who is currently being held in Tripoli’s Hadba Prison, faces charges for murder, conspiracy to murder and human rights crimes in Libya. The International Criminal Court is still considering whether or not the Qaddafi spy chief has a case to answer before the international court, but has said that proceedings against him in Libya would not interfere with their decision. [/restrict]
