FBI search for 'all Lockerbie victims' ahead of suspect's US trial

The FBI has launched an planetary hunt for victims of the Lockerbie bombing, including radical who suffered “emotional injury”, up of a Libyan suspect's proceedings successful the US.

It comes 35 years aft the atrocity successful which a full of 270 radical were killed.

Abu Agila Masud has denied making the instrumentality that blew up Pan Am Flight 103 implicit the Scottish Borders municipality connected 21 December 1988

A justice successful the US national tribunal wherever the proceedings is taking spot is considering whether to let distant entree for radical straight affected by the case.

The FBI is present trying to find everyone who meets a ineligible explanation of victims of the bombing and wants to ticker the proceedings online.

Pan Am Flight 103 was brought down arsenic it flew from London to New York.

All 259 passengers and unit connected committee the airliner were killed, on with 11 residents of Lockerbie who died erstwhile wreckage fell connected their homes.

Abu Agila Masud is owed to basal proceedings earlier a assemblage successful Washington adjacent May.

The hunt for radical straight affected by the bombing is being undertaken by the FBI's antagonistic coercion part and the US Department of Justice.

The FBI says the Washington tribunal wants a finalised database of individuals “who conscionable the statutory explanation of unfortunate and privation to person entree to the tribunal proceedings".

The tribunal besides wants to cognize their full fig and geographic determination earlier it decides however to proceed.

Legislation passed by the US Congress to pave the mode for distant entree to the proceedings defines a unfortunate of Lockerbie successful 2 ways.

It includes idiosyncratic who was “present astatine oregon adjacent the country successful Lockerbie erstwhile the bombing occurred oregon instantly thereafter” and who suffered “direct oregon proximate harm (e.g. carnal oregon affectional injury) arsenic a result".

The 2nd radical involves “the spouse, ineligible guardian, parent, child, brother, sister, adjacent of kin oregon different comparative of idiosyncratic who was killed connected Pan Am 103 oregon killed oregon harmed connected the crushed successful Scotland oregon idiosyncratic who possesses a narration of a akin value to idiosyncratic who was killed oregon harmed successful the attack".

Dr Jim Swire, whose girl Flora died connected the plane, welcomed the determination to specify radical who witnessed what happened successful Lockerbie arsenic victims of the bombing, if they suffered harm.

He said: "Those affected by immoderate catastrophe should ne'er beryllium restricted from entree to the consequences of that disaster.

"So I deliberation it's a bully determination that I wholly endorse."

Two-thirds of those who died connected the level were American. In full 43 UK citizens were killed on with radical from 19 different countries.

The harrowing aftermath of the clang was witnessed by galore residents of the municipality and surrounding area.

The bodies of radical from the level were recovered successful Lockerbie and scattered crossed fields and hills.

They were collected by hundreds of constabulary officers and unit from the military, exigency services, section authorities and voluntary groups.

Many radical were profoundly damaged by what they witnessed and what they had to do.

The FBI is asking radical who judge they acceptable the explanation and would similar distant entree to the proceedings to capable retired a survey.

In a connection accompanying the request, the bureau said: “We recognize that this announcement whitethorn beryllium unexpected and rise questions for galore who are connected to this tragedy.

“Please judge our apologies for immoderate apprehensions caused by this abrupt outreach, and remainder assured that we person a squad of dedicated individuals prepared to code immoderate concerns you whitethorn person astir this process.”

The FBI says it is trying to pass the tribunal astir the “widespread geographic determination of our unfortunate colonisation and to show however this whitethorn impact your idiosyncratic and carnal capabilities to entree the proceedings proceedings successful person".

Scotland's prosecution work relays accusation connected the lawsuit to immoderate of the relatives of the radical who died.

A spokesperson for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said they were continuing to enactment the US Department of Justice and the FBI successful the prosecution of Abu Agila Masud.

Only 1 idiosyncratic has been convicted of engagement successful the bombing, a Libyan who was recovered blameworthy of playing a cardinal relation successful the crippled to bring down the plane.

Abdulbasset al Megrahi was jailed for beingness aft being recovered blameworthy of wide execution by a Scottish tribunal sitting successful the neutral Netherlands.

Terminally sick with cancer, helium was released connected compassionate grounds by the Scottish Government successful 2009 and died 3 years later.

Megrahi ever protested his innocence but his condemnation was upheld doubly by the entreaty court, instantly aft his proceedings and a 2nd clip aft his death.

The FBI survey is disposable by clicking here.