US charges alleged Pan Am 103 bombmaker

The Justice Department on Monday unsealed charges accusing a Libyan bomb expert for the 1988 explosion of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. (Dec. 21)

Video Transcript

BILL BARR: On this day 32 years ago on December 21st, 1988 local time, a bomb destroyed Pan Am flight 103 as it flew 31,000 feet over Lockerbie, Scotland. The explosion killed all 259 people on board, 243 passengers and 16 crew members, including 190 Americans. I am pleased to announce that the United States has filed criminal charges against a third conspirator, Abu Agela Mas'ud Kheir Al-Marimi. According to the criminal complaint affidavit, Mas'ud built the bomb that destroyed Pan Am 103.

To the families of those who died in the sky over Lockerbie all those years ago, I know that the small step we take today cannot compensate for the sorrow you feel to this day. But I hope that you will find some measure of solace in knowing that we in the United States government on behalf of the American people and in partnership with our counterparts in Scotland have never relented and will never relent in the pursuit of justice for you and for your loved ones.

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