Libya refuses extension for the final date for Lockerbie compensations

Libya has refused to extend the final date for the compensation deal of the victims of the Lockerbie plane because Libya has not been removed yet from the American list of terrorism sponsoring states. A matter which bans each member of the families of the victims, 270 persons in total, from receiving more than $ 2 million each.

A lawyer for the families and one American official as well as the father of one of the victims said that Libya abstained from extending the agreement after it had expired last Thursday despite it had extended it for seven times, on the ground of its desire to improve relations with Washington and avoid angering the families.

The lawyer of most of the families said that he is confident that this matter will be settled and the money will be paid, stressing that the Libyan officials were hoping to lift the name of their country from the American list which imposes several American sanctions.

Worthy mentioning that according to the agreement, some $ 4 million were paid for each family after lifting the UN sanctions in September 2003. Other $ 4 million were paid after abrogation of the US trade sanctions one year later. Libya has decided to pay the remaining $ 2 million for each person after lifting Libya's name from the American terrorism list. This has not happened yet.

Libya vowed to pay $ 2.7 billion in a pending account with the World Bank for settlement with the victims' relatives.