Relatives of victims of the Lockerbiebombing who are based in the UK have expressed disappointment after they were told they will be denied televised access to the trial of Libyan suspect from their homes.
Abu Agila Masud is accused of making the bomb that took the lives of 270 people in the terrorist bombing of Pan American Airlines Flight 103 on December 21, 1988. He is due to face a jury in WashingtoLn DC, reports the Scottish Daily Express.
The US Department of Justice proposed that the families directly affected should be allowed to watch the proceedings as televised trials are banned in American federal courts. However, US district judge Dabney Friedrich voiced her fear that it could affect Masud’s right to a fair trial as he rejected the option.
She has now ruled that families affected can watch the trial from “designated secure viewing locations” such as courthouses or American embassies, the BBC reports.
It has not been confirmed how this will work for relatives in Edinburgh and Belfast as there are only consulates there, with the embassy being located in London. US-based relatives of families affected were the first to raise the issue of remote access, highlighting that many were unable to travel to Washington for the trial.
Trudy-Ann Peters, whose mother, Olive died on the plane, told the broadcaster: “With it now being at the embassy I’m not sure how much we’ll be able to get involved. It’s quite inconvenient but we do understand. We don’t want this case to be hindered in any way at all, we want all the answers to come out.
“If this man is involved, he needs to answer for what he’s done and if it means we need to go the extra mile, we are absolutely willing to do that.” Her mum was off to New York for a shopping trip when she missed the earlier flight and caught the ill-fated plane.
Pamela Dix, who lives in the south of England and lost her brother Peter on the flight, added: “I’m extremely disappointed. This doesn’t constitute reasonable access under the law that was passed specifically to allow family members to follow this trial. The siblings of people who died will be in their 60s and 70s, and the parents are in their 80s and 90s.
“It’s going to be a mission to get access to the trial and that’s frustrating. Having said that, I fully support the US legal process and I want this trial to take place.”
More than 100 people from Scotland
The case is expected to begin in May. The horrific incident saw 270 people die, including 43 from the UK and 190 from America. All 259 passengers were killed, along with 11 people on the ground. The Lockerbie Victims Access Act was passed by US politicians to make “reasonable efforts” to provide access via telephone or video.
More than 400 people from across the globe were identified by the FBI as either related to the tragic victims or suffered “emotional injury” by witnessing the aftermath. Among that number more than 100 were from Scotland, with 32 being from within Lockerbie.
The Crown Office supported the move with American justice officials proposing the trial could be watched on a secure version of Zoom. Anyone caught misusing the footage could face contempt of court.
However, Masud’s lawyers successfully argued that there was no guarantee that this method would not be accessed by unauthorised third parties. Judge Freidrich said: “Such violations could impair the proceedings and jeopardize the defendant’s right to a fair trial. Livestreaming such proceedings to individuals’ personal devices is fraught with risks of a constitutional dimension. In today’s internet age, a rebroadcasted court proceeding could travel around the world and remain electronically preserved forever.”
Kara Weipz, president of the American group Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, added: “It’s extremely disappointing in that we were hoping everyone would have access to the trial and this is obviously going to eliminate people who can’t get to remote sites. At the same time, I can’t say that I don’t understand the ruling. No judge wants to have a trial overturned or questioned on appeal.”
Masud is currently undergoing medical treatment for an undisclosed health condition but the trial is scheduled to get underway on May 12.
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