Lockerbie bombing trial will factor in Ramadan for witness testimony
Plans for the long-awaited trial of alleged Lockerbie bomb maker Abu Agila Mohammad Masud Al Marimi have taken Ramadan, forecast to start on February 7, into account. All 259 people on board Pan Am Flight 103 died in the 1988 terrorist attack for which Mr Al Marimi is accused. Eleven were killed on the ground in Lockerbie, Scotland, by falling debris from the explosion, which occurred shortly…
Planned trial for alleged Lockerbie bomber Abu Agila Mohammad Masud Al Marimi will consider Ramadan, forecast to start on February 7, 2027. The 1988 terrorist attack, which killed 270 people, occurred when Pan Am Flight 103 exploded shortly after taking off from London on December 21. Of the victims, 190 were US citizens. Mr Al Marimi was arrested in 2022 after pleading not guilty in 2023.
The trial's delay has been attributed to health issues, changes in defense team, pre-trial deliberations, and new evidence. US District Judge Dabney Friedrich recently aimed to start jury selection in January 2027. The Muslim fasting month of Ramadan could impact the trial's start, as several government witnesses observe it. If jury selection is delayed until January 19, 2027, witness testimony may not begin until January 25, 2027—the start of Ramadan.
US federal prosecutors plan to call an expert in Libyan history, Alison Pargeter, to testify. Both the prosecution and defense teams are concerned about online prediction and betting markets potentially affecting the case. About 150 pieces of crash evidence, including documents from Libya, the UK, the US, Malta, and Czechoslovakia, will be presented. The release of the Netflix series The Bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 has added to the case's buzz.
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