Salmond casts doubt on Al-Megrahi’s conviction

LOCKERBIE: Claim dismissed as ‘stupid’ by former FBI investigator

Alex Salmond has thrown fresh doubt on the Lockerbie bomber’s conviction by questioning some of the evidence it was based on.

He said identification evidence linking Abdelbaset al-Megrahi to the atrocity is “open to question”.

His comments have been slated by a former senior FBI investigator as “stupid”, who insisted the conviction is safe.

Megrahi, who was linked to Colonel Gaddafi’s regime, was convicted of the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 in 2001.

The former Gordon MP made his comments after interviewing ex-justice secretary Kenny MacAskill on the Alex Salmond Show.

Mr Salmond said yesterday: “Is it possible for someone to be guilty, yet wrongly convicted? Yes it is.

“Kenny MacAskill was correct, the forensic evidence compiled by the Scottish authorities and the FBI clearly identified Libyan involvement and Malta as the place where the bomb was planted.

“Mr Megrahi was a high-ranking Libyan intelligence official on the scene at the time. This supports the charge that he, acting with others, was part of the Lockerbie conspiracy.

“However, his conviction was not just based on the strength of that evidence but on identification evidence which is, to say the least, open to question.

“Back in 2009 Kenny MacAskill was aware of this, as was I as Scotland’s first minister.”

Maltese shopkeeper Tony Gauci, a key witness, told the trial he sold Megrahi clothing that was later found wrapped around the bomb.

Dr Jim Swire, whose daughter died in the atrocity, said that identification evidence was crucial for the conviction.

“Just like Kenny MacAskill, it is a shame Alex Salmond waited until after he left office before revealing these doubts,” he said.

“I would like an explanation as to why if he felt this evidence was very suspect he didn’t push for an inquiry while he was first minister.”

A spokeswoman for the First Minister insisted they had confidence in the safety of Megrahi’s conviction.

The family of Mr Megrahi, who passed away in 2012, are launching an appeal against his conviction.