British daily: A secret deal between US, Britain, Libya; compensating Lockerbie victims

A secret deal was reached between Britain, the US and Libya according to which Libya will be obliged to pay financial compensations for the victims of the Lockerbie incident.

The British daily " Independent on Sunday" said in its Sunday's issue that the deal was signed in London on January 10th, in which Libya openly admits its responsibility of blowing off " the Pan American" plane over the Scottish town of Lockerbie in 1988.

The British foreign office did not confirm these information. The said British paper quoted officials that did not identify their names that the tripartite deal avails Libya to re-export its oil and make agreements with the countries of the western world estimated at billions of USD and lifting the sanctions imposed on Libya.

The sources said that the agreement was attended the US under secretary of state for the Middle East Affairs William Burns and a high ranking official at the British foreign office as well as the spokesman for the Libyan embassy in London.

It was learnt that Libya will pay USD one million for each victim. A Scottish government held at Zest camp in Holland in the spring of 2001 found guilty the Libyan citizen Abdul Baset al-Miqrahi on exploding the said American plane over Lockerbie, while found another Libyan as not guilty. He was Muhammad Abdul Salaam Faheimah.

This court will assume its session this month to study an appeal submitted by al-Miqrahi.