Scottish court ends Lockerbie trials
Libya, Politics, 2/1/2001

The Scottish court at Camp Zest on Wednesday convicted the Libyan Abdul Baset al-Miqrahi of the charge of being involved in exploding the Pan American passengers plane in 1988 over Lockerbie and found innocent the second Libyan Elamine Khaleifa Faheima of the same charge.

The chairman of the court Raland Southern-land that the verdict on the two accused Libyan was released unanimously after a trial which lasted for nine months.

According to this verdict al-Miqrahi will be facing a sentence of life- imprisonment, while Faheimah was released and left the court immediately while al-Miqrahi announced they will resume the sentence within 14 days since its issuance.

With the release of the condemnation sentence, Libya refused any indication for having a connection to it in the case of exploding the American plane, stressing its respect to the sentence released by the court against al-Miqrahi who will carry out this sentence in one of the Scottish imprisonment.

In this context, the Libyan ambassador at the UN Zeid Omar Doudra said that Libya will carry out all tasks and responsibilities the Libyan side is obliged to and will honor any financial obligations might result from the sentence of the Scottish court.

He strongly denied any links by his government nor any Libyan official in this case, noting that this matter was clear when the attorney general abrogated " conspiracy accusations " against the two Libyans.

According to that Libya has asked the UN to the need of ending the UN sanctions imposed on it immediately and to pay compensation over the losses inflicted on Libya as a result of these sanctions because these sanctions were imposed as a result of a legal case which the UN security council has no link to.

On the same, on behalf of his country, the Egyptian foreign minister Amr Moussa called on the UN Security Council to abrogate the sanctions imposed on Libya after the end of the trial, noting that the logic now is to abrogate them.

Spain joined Egypt in its call, stressing it prefers also to end the sanctions imposed on Libya and expressed hope on the possibility of lifting them very soon.

Following the release of the sentence the US welcomed the decision which condemns al-Miqrahi, but also noted that Libya should shoulder the full responsibility and considered this sentence as does not mean the end of the sanctions.

The White House issued a statement which said that Libya should shoulder the responsibility of exploding the plane and to work for paying compensations to the families of the victims before lifting any sanctions.

Previous Stories:
  Libyan official: libya ready to have relations with USA, on basis of mutual respect   (1/16/2001)
  King Mohammed pays official visit to Libya   (1/15/2001)
  Arab League Secretary General Visits Libya Tuesday   (1/8/2001)

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