The Lockerbie Bomber: The Case Reviewed

Welcome back ladies and gentlemen, after a HUGE uproar yesterday of the release of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, also known as the Lockerbie Bomber. I have received nearly 20 u2u's asking for a case review. So I decided to just squeeze this one in, due to its importance to everyone. Hopefully, this will help you weigh the evidence and decide if he was guilty or innocent. To make things easier I will just tell the tale, instead of breaking it down. I also apologize I am not very familiar with this case, but I tried to be.

The Lockerbie Bomber: The Case Reviewed

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/4be88ef58f26.png[/atsimg]


On December 21, 1988, a terrorist bomb was detonated on Pan Am Flight 103, over Lockerbie, Scotland. The total number dead came up to 259 passengers, which was the entire planes passengers and crew.

According to the official timeline of events provided by: Timeline of the Event: Take off to Radar Loss

Pan Am Flight 103 taxied out of the gate at Heathrow Airport in London at 6:04 p.m. on December 21, 1988 - four days before Christmas. The 243 passengers and 16 crew members were preparing themselves for a relatively long flight to New York. After taxying for a few minutes, Flight 103, on a Boeing 747, took off at 6:25 p.m. They had no idea that they only had 38 more minutes to live.

By 6:56 p.m., the plane had reached 31,000 feet. At 7:03 p.m., the plane exploded. Control had just been issuing Flight 103's clearance to start its oceanic segment of their journey to New York, when Flight 103's blip went off their radar. Seconds later the one large blip was replaced with multiple blips traveling downwind.

But the worse was just about to begin, new reports and complete choas would happen. Even more people were killed from the falling debris and wreckage.

Wreckage was strewn over 50 square miles. Twenty-one of Lockerbie's houses were completely destroyed and eleven of its residents were dead. Thus, the total death toll was 270 (the 259 aboard the plane plus the 11 on the ground).

About.com

Of course everything changed in America as well, the terror hit home especially hard, because of the entire passenger manifest of 259 passengers, the number of Americans on the plane was 179 Americans. The first Major terrorism scare by a plane in recent decades, Americans sense of secruity and lax attitudes would soon change to fear and dread of flying. This threat exceeded anything that Americans had seen before.

One theory proposes that, due to the absolute choas of the event and due to preceeding attacks by Libya and the US's response to these attacks, that the bombing of Pan Am Flight was revenge.

As revenge for the bombing of a Berlin nightclub where two U.S. personnel were killed, President Ronald Reagan ordered the bombing of Libya's capital Tripoli and the Libyan city of Benghazi in 1986. Some people think that bombing Pan Am Flight 103 was in retaliation for these bombings.

Pan Am Revenge

Others believe Lockerbie was revenge for a different disaster:

In 1988, the USS Vincennes (a U.S. guided missile cruiser) shot down an Iranian passenger jet, killing all 290 people on board. There is little doubt that this caused as much horror and sorrow as the explosion on Flight 103. The U.S. government claims that the USS Vincennes mistakenly identified the passenger plane as an F-14 fighter jet. Other people believe that the bombing over Lockerbie was in retaliation for this disaster.

Revenge by Iran

The bomb was wrapped in a radiot cassette player and it was also homemade acording to the official report. Yet questions ranged from how did it get onto the plane? And how was it detonated. Luckily, the following happening and changed the game and led to some arrest:

The investigators believe they received a "big break" when a man and his dog were walking in a forest about 80 miles from Lockerbie. While walking, the man found a T-shirt which turned out to have pieces of the timer in it. Tracing the T-shirt as well as the maker of the timer, investigators felt confident they knew who bombed Flight 103 - Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi and Al Amin Khalifa Fhimah.

The Indicted

Haveing the evidence against the men, the US and Great Britian requested the extradictment of the following men: Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi and Al Amin Khalifa Fhimah. Yet the Libyan dicator refused to extradite them, really odd for a country that wanted to make things right.... The Libyan country was Sanctioned by the UN for their refusal, this GREATLY harmed their financial capital, but they continued to refuse.

Over the span of 11 years:

In 1994, Libya agreed to a proposal that would have the trial held in a neutral country with international judges. The U.S. and the U.K. refused the proposal.

In 1998, the U.S. and the U.K. offered a similar proposal but with Scottish judges rather than international ones. Libya accepted the new proposal in April 1999.

Though the investigators were once confident that these two men were the bombers, there proved to be many holes in the evidence.

On January 31, 2001, Megrahi was found guilty of murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment. Fhimah was acquitted.

On August 20, 2009, the UK gave Megrahi, who suffers from terminal prostate cancer, a compassionate release from prison so that he could go back to Libya to die amongst his family.

11 years to LONG

It took 11 years to get justice, yet why did it not happen sooner. And whats happened before this? To understand the attack and to understand the events after we must first understand the Event Preceding this:

1) A male caller claimed that a group called the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution had destroyed the plane in retaliation for the U.S. shootdown of Iran Air Flight 655 in the Persian Gulf the previous July.

2) A caller claiming to represent the Islamic Jihad organization told ABC News in New York that the group had planted the bomb to commemorate Christmas.
The Ulster Defense League allegedly issued a telephonic claim.

3)Another anonymous caller claimed the plane had been downed by Mossad, the Israeli intelligence service. This is rather an allegation than a claim of responsibility.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/d2253c30366b.jpg[/atsimg]

The CIA recieved these threats prior and after the attempt, yet they were considered nothing more than hoaxs and a very odd coincidence. In my life time, nothing happens by coincidence and how can one say that. The threat was recieved and taken seriously by the United States Secruity Staff and Intelligence, especially this warning:

On 5 December 1988 the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a security bulletin saying that on that day a man with an Arabic accent had telephoned the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki, Finland, and had told them that a Pan Am flight from Frankfurt, West Germany to the United States would be blown up within the next two weeks by someone associated with the Abu Nidal Organization. He said a Finnish woman would carry the bomb on board as an unwitting courier

Wiki

This is alarming, heavy secruity for EACH American Pan Am flight coming from and heading to. Yet a mess of reports would happen and some not so tight secruity as promised before:

Investigators also discovered that an unaccompanied bag had been routed onto PA 103, via the interline baggage system, from Luqa airport on Air Malta flight KM180 to Frankfurt, and then by feeder flight PA 103A to Heathrow. This unaccompanied bag was shown at the trial to have been the suitcase that contained the bomb. In 2009 it was revealed that security guard Ray Manley had reported that Heathrow's Pan Am baggage area had been broken into 17 hours before flight 103 took off. Police lost the report and it was never investigated or brought up at trial

Break in

A break in? And they didn't see this as IMPORTANT or Worth investigating further? Doesn't sound correct, but unfortunately it did happen. The evidence would continue to build:

The clothes were traced to a Maltese merchant, Tony Gauci, who became a key prosecution witness, testifying that he sold the clothes to a man of Libyan appearance, whom he later identified as Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi. However, an official report providing information not available during the original trial stated that Gauci had seen a picture of al-Megrahi in a magazine which connected al-Megrahi to the bombing, a fact which could have distorted his judgment

The questions

Yet the evidence seems strange and at most VERY circumstational. Since we already have the suspects of today, lets look at some other suspects:

Alternative Theories

The Iran-Pakistan-Libyan Alliance for instance.

"The skies would 'rain blood' in revenge" Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini vowed at the time that an Iranian civilian flight by the US warship, the Vincennes, killing all 290 passengers and crew aboard, on 3 July 1988. Iran was also the lead suspect as soon as the event happened.

Not only that, but according to:

Iranian intelligence official, Ahmad Behbahani stated over and over again that he was responsible for all "terrorist" operations including the Lockerbie bombing.

Examining the Pakistan-Iran-Libyan connection further, Mr. Behbahani told 60 Minutes:

That he had first suggested the plan to bomb the Pan Am flight to Ahmad Jibril, who heads a Syrian-backed armed group, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC).

This organisation was a prime suspect in the immediate aftermath of the Lockerbie attack, but has denied any involvement.

Mr Behbahani also said Iran spent 90 days training a group of Libyans for the operation.

BBC

Well according to this, we also lead to another theory:

This would fit in with another theory, that the Lockerbie bombing could have been ordered, planned and carried out by a coalition of Iranians, Libyans and Palestinians.

Libya is alleged to have been motivated by a desire to avenge the 1986 US bombing of Tripoli and Benghazi.

There are those who go even further, claiming that the trial at Camp Zeist is a cover-up of kinds, in which the two Libyan suspects are the 'fall-guys' in the whole affair, allowing any governments involved to claim that justice has been done, and the affair brought to a close.

BBC

Are things supposed to click so easily? It would appear that the pieces are really falling into place, if this is true, this man is a fantastic lier and not only that he is a fantastic conspiracy theorist by linking these allegations perfectly.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/a6831d79d760.jpg[/atsimg]

Was the Lockerbie suspects nothing more than fall men? Many of the American Family members who sons and daughters died on the plane believe that the truth has yet to come out. According to: Martin Cadman, in an interview with BBC's Conspiracy Files stated:

"The truth has not come out. I think the investigation found out what it was told to find."

"He should stay in prison because he's getting out free and my 17-year-old son is still dead," said Arva L. Thomas, 72, of Detroit. "There's nothing I can do about it but I don't agree with it. It's something you never forget. I think about him every day."

The evidence and my conclusion.....


My Conclusion/Closing Statements


I think it is pretty clear that the motive and evidence for a conspiracy is here. However, I think many of us have forgetten that the to men Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi and Al Amin Khalifa Fhimah, had STRONG connections with libyan task forces and Secret Intelligence. That and the reports of a bombing from the CIA investigation states clearly that something was amiss and that something had already been planned. Whether the attacks were planned by Iran, Pakistan, Libya or all the above. One fact still remains, lives were lost that day. The following evidence helped me decide my conclusion:

April 1991: Fhimah's diary is found in an office in Malta. It has entries linking Fhimah to Megrahi and, crucially, to the collection of airline baggage tags which would have been vital to enable an unaccompanied bag to be taken from Luqa Airport. At the same time Scottish detectives checking Maltese immigration records track Megrahi's visits to the island, and that he stayed the night before the bombing in a hotel room. From there, hotel records show he made an early morning call to Fhimah's flat.

The Airline tags are Found

Not only were their airline tags they were Pan Am tags, different colors and different assortions.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/035707b7f223.jpg[/atsimg]

The above is a sketch provided by a witness who saw and made custom clothes for a man in the above picture. Tony Gauci provided information for an artist's impression.

June 1990: The piece of electronic timer circuit board embedded in the shirt fragment found near Newcastleton is positively identified as part of an MST-13 timer. The shirt was found alongside pieces of speaker from the radio cassette player and - crucially - pieces of the instruction manual for the player. This proved the bomb had been in the cassette player.

Shirt Found and Bomb Fragments

15 February, 1991: Mr Gauci identifies Megrahi from a police photospread as the man who bought the clothes in his shop.

BBC

13 April, 1999: Tony Gauci again identifies Megrahi, this time in an Identification Parade at Camp Zeist.

BBC

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/0db22bdd793e.jpg[/atsimg]

FACT: Megrahi bought the clothes
FACT: Megrahi's clothes were found with the Cassette in them
FACT: Megrahi was in the intelligence community

While one can make a brief case with the Conspiracy theory of Camp Zeist, their is not enough info or evidence to back it up at all. The three facts alone prove enough that Megrahi did not act alone. BUT that does not mean that he couldn't have acted alone. Chances are he was backed by the three alliances of Pakistan, Iran and Libya. All for a revenge, claims cannot be thrown out, the Iranian leader stating that blood would fall from the sky is such a strong term and than blood actually falls from the sky. Too big of a coincidence.

The truth, or rather the evidence to me is enough to state that they got one man in a very complicated and very deep rabbit hole. None the less it is without a doubt in my mind that he had a part in this, but another part is who were the others? Was he just the fall guy to protect the others in the rabbit hole? I could beleive that. None the less his release from prisoner should not have happened, people are told they are going to die and than wind up living 10 more years before actually dieing, if he is not dead within three months, the Switz need to bring him back to prison.

Libya has reached political agreement with the United States and Britain to accept civil responsibility for the 1988 Lockerbie bombing and pay up to $10 million in compensation to victims' relatives, a source close to the talks said.

Libya accepts responsibility

Yet. Another factor really bothers me and that is the lack of respect from the country of Libya to the victims:

TRIPOLI, Libya – The only man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing returned home Thursday to a cheering crowd after his release from a Scottish prison — an outrage to many relatives of the 270 people who perished when Pan Am Flight 103 exploded.

A Warriors Welcome

They cheered for him? Do they not understand that he brought shame and killed people? I guess thats not enough....

In closing my friends, Megrahi was guilty, however, he was FAR from alone in his acts. Who were the others involved? Probably the three way alliance. It makes sense and the evidence does indeed add up. But do not, I repeat do not forget the victims:







[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/d9ae5fc4a1e4.jpg[/atsimg]


Do never forget us. For we died far away, but in death remain close to your hearts than ever before.


Thank you ladies and Gentlemen for this Ninth Case Review. It has been an honor representing the dead and attempting to bring the guilty to justice. I really appreciate your support and your kindness.

Liked This Case Review?

Series 1

Marilyn Monroe: The Case Reviewed

OJ Simpson: The Case Reviewed

Anna Nicole Smith: The Case Reviewed

The Black Dahlia: The Case Reviewed

The Zodiac Killer: The Case Reviewed


Series 2

Princess Diana: The Case Reviewed

Jack The Ripper: The Case Reviewed

Lord Lucan: The Case Review

And now, The Lockerbie Bomber: The Case Reviewed

Have a suggestion for a case review? Send me a u2u

Thank you again.

Peace,
~TheMythLives
Case Review Investigator

[edit on Aug 21st 2009 by TheMythLives]

Fantastic! Just what I needed to bring me up to date on this event.
I literally knew nothing about it, except the blips they gave on the news upon his release. Boy, you're fast! Great thread and great information.
S&F

reply to post by ladyinwaiting


Thank you for the kind words. Thats why I am here to spread awareness about cases that you may or may not have ever heard of. I didn't know much about the case either, but I learned a good bit. Thank you again

Nice work

I did my own thread about this tragedy a month or so ago, before any mention of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi being released.

Here it is if your interested:

Pan Am 103 to Lockerbie

S&F for you squire

I have already read alot about this case.Star and flag for bringing it into light for others who have not read much into it...and damn your fast! Although i personally disagree with your conclusion.

reply to post by TheMythLives


Great effort thank you although you may wish to look a little further into Mr Gauci, there are numerous sites that discuss him, and his questionable evidence and personal character and the suggestion that he and his brother Paul received several million dollars for their evidence from the US government, here is one that I happened upon which is well written

scot-land.blogspot.com...

news.bbc.co.uk...


thanks again impressive work in such a short time frame

regards

berth

reply to post by LiveForever8


Excellent will make for some excellent co-reading. I starred and Flagged your thread as well And thank you for the kind words.

I started admiring you before knowing that tyhis was your type of work on ats. Hat on mate, what a great conspiracy master you are. See, my relationship with Lybia has never been that good, i consider them a bunch of criminals, but what makes me feel bad is that no one is trying to correct them: on the contrary, Europe is HELPING them, that's some way to SUPPORT thir philosophy.
Look, look here mate.
www.abovetopsecret.com...
They have strangely been allowed to do ALL in europe, i'd like to know the why, i want to know why a small and meaningless country is grabbing by the balls the most important countries in the world.

reply to post by Solomons


LOL, I disagree with my conclusion as well. But I just wrote what the facts led me to. And thank you for the kind words.

reply to post by badBERTHA


Most defiantely, but again, i will state that their really is no solid evidence connecting it. Some is VERY circumstational and others I am not even sure is factual or if the evidence exists. However, I think the brother might be a beneficiary, but lets not forget that entire family was in the Intelligence community I think.

Impressive!! You really touched and brought alot of thoughts to the table on this one, And great timing too!
A very complex issue right now and this is an amazing Reference to look upon when reading up on the latest media about it,

Again you did a fantastic job!

reply to post by asala


Thank you asala and this thread would not have been made if you did not bring it to my attention. So you deserve a HUGE THANK YOU

reply to post by TheMythLives


Excellent thread my friend, personally I did not know the details of this horrible case of terrorism. Great job getting this together so quickly, I know you told me you were overwhelmed with requests for this. Again great job, concise, and informative. I really like the official document presentations. Keep up the great work TML.

reply to post by jkrog08


Krog congrats my friend, FSME! About time. And thank you for the kind words as well. I was really overwhelmed with requests, so I just dove in. Hopefully, it came out well and presentable for the time I had to assemble everthing.

Thanks again And CONGRATS.

reply to post by TheMythLives


I lost 3 relitives on that flight. And the gov't would never give me the name of the guy they had lockedup. Thankyou for doing something they would never do.Now I know it was." Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi".
He should have stayed in jail, where he was safe. Now..
::zips up the bag on his laser scoped rifle and walks out the door grinning::
Time for some pay back..

reply to post by Eye of Horus


I'm sorry you lost relatives, but don't do anything stupid my friend. Don't let the lives lost have an effect with more lives lost And thank you for the kind words. Be strong.

MYTH, again another FANTASTIC THREAD!!

With GREAT information, and incredibly FAST work!!

I did'nt know much about this case, I question the evidence, was the
shirt planted? The lost report of the baggage break-in, coincidence?

I agree if he is'nt dead in 3 months, he should go back to Jail!!

MOST of all, I feel so sorry for the FAMILIES of the VICTIMS!!!

S&F!!! MY FRIEND!!!

Keep the REVIEWS COMING!!!

reply to post by truth/seeker


lol, it was hard getting everything together... But I did somehow. And thank you for the kind words I really do appreciate your kindness and continued support my friend. And no one really knows the truth, but the evidence really does lean toward him... IMHO...

Thank you again!

reply to post by TheMythLives
Hey,Myth! S&F for you! I believe that there is more to the Lockerbie bombing then what has been reported over the years the fact he got out health issues or not is telling to me.I think the Pakistan-Iran-Libya connection has not been thoroughly investigated here,back then If Khomeini said something would happen it usually did.