Macaskill calls for Lockerbie trials

The politician who released the Lockerbie bomber has called for others to be prosecuted in relation to the atrocity. Writing in The Scotsman today, former Justice Secretary Kenny Macaskill says more evidence has been obtained by the CIA and M16 since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi.

Mr Macaskill also suggested Libya’s former foreign minister, Moussa Koussa, should give evidence after the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission said it would examine whether the case should go to a fresh appeal.

As Justice Secretary, Mr Macaskill freed Abdelbaset al Megrahi, the only man to be convicted of the mass-murder, on compassionate grounds.

Mr Macaskill said Megrahi had a peripheral role but wasn’t the bomber and argued that higher ranking figures should be prosecuted. He claimed that Megrahi came to trial as part of a deal forged between the US/UK and Libya.

He writes: “In a nutshell the two accused offered up by Libya were the highest-ranking accused that the Libyan regime were prepared to release and the lowest level that the UK/US were prepared to accept.

“But, there’s more evidence available now and others that can be prosecuted. So rather than looking back at Megrahi’s conviction, maybe it’s time to look at new evidence.”