Latest news with #PanAmFlight103
Euronews
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
London marks 20 years since 7 July 2005 terror attacks
London paused in remembrance on Monday to mark the 20th anniversary of the 7 July 2005 terror attacks, in which four suicide bombers killed 52 people and injured over 770 others during the morning rush hour in London. The coordinated attacks — three on London Underground trains and one on a double-decker bus — remain the deadliest on British soil since the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 near Lockerbie and the UK's first instance of an Islamist extremist suicide attack. Across the capital, moments of silence were observed, wreaths were laid and tributes were paid to the victims, survivors and emergency responders. A ceremony at the Hyde Park memorial, where 52 steel columns stand in honour of each person killed, drew survivors, bereaved families and public officials. At 8:50 am (9:50 am CEST) — the exact time the first bomb detonated — UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and London Mayor Sadiq Khan placed wreaths at the monument. Commuters and staff at stations affected by the blasts also joined in a minute's silence. Dan Biddle, who lost both legs in the attack near Edgware Road, reflected on the mix of grief and resilience the day evokes. "You're thankful you've survived it, you feel immense sadness and grief, but still this overwhelming sense of injustice," he said, noting the lack of a full public inquiry. He recalled how a fellow passenger, severely injured himself, crawled through the tunnel to administer lifesaving first aid, a memory he described as a "phenomenal act of bravery." At St Paul's Cathedral, a service of commemoration echoed with prayers and music, honouring both those who were lost and the spirit of unity that followed. King Charles III, in a message released for the anniversary, said his "heartfelt thoughts and special prayers remain with all those whose lives were forever changed on that terrible summer's day." He praised the "extraordinary courage and compassion" shown by emergency workers and ordinary Londoners, calling on the country to "stand firm against those who would seek to divide us." Starmer added, "Those who tried to divide us failed. We stood together then, and we stand together now." UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper called 7 July 2005 one of Britain's "darkest days," and warned that terrorism — particularly from Islamist extremists — continues to pose a grave threat. She also pointed to emerging dangers from far-right extremism, hostile states and cyber threats, promising the government would "relentlessly confront and counter" them. The attacks were carried out by four suicide bombers, three of whom were British-born sons of Pakistani immigrants, while the fourth was born in Jamaica.
Scotsman
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
New play 'Fuselage' explores the real life impact of the Lockerbie tragedy at Fringe
This year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe will host the worldwide premiere of Fuselage, a deeply personal and powerful new play written and performed by acclaimed American theatre artist Annie Lareau. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The play will run at the Pleasance Courtyard from July 30 to August 25 (excluding August 13 and 19), offering audiences a 70-minute journey into one of the most tragic moments in aviation history: the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing over Lockerbie. Rooted in Lareau's own extraordinary experience, Fuselage tells the story of how she narrowly missed boarding the doomed flight that claimed the lives of her best friend Theodora Cohen and 34 other Syracuse University students returning home from a study abroad program in London in December 1988. Unable to afford a last-minute ticket change, Lareau stayed behind while her classmates boarded the plane — a decision that would haunt her for years. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Through a blend of humor, compassion, and raw emotion, Fuselage explores the optimism and tight bonds of youth alongside the horror witnessed by Lockerbie locals, including Colin Dorrance, an 18-year-old newly appointed Constable who was among the first responders to the crash site. The play also reflects Lareau's personal battles with panic attacks, nightmares, survivor's guilt, and intense media scrutiny following the tragedy. (c) GIAO NGUYEN Presented by Lareau Creative and Suzanna Rosenthal Productions, the play features a dynamic three-person ensemble with direction by Makaela Milburn, known for her work championing inclusive and stylized theatre. The production also benefits from the multi-talented Peter Dylan O'Connor's scenic design and acting alongside Brenda Joyner. Lighting and projections are crafted by Ahren Buhmann, while sound design is by award-winning composer Rob Witmer. Annie Lareau brings more than three decades of experience in American theatre to the production, having served as Artistic Director of Seattle Public Theatre and performing widely across the US and internationally. Her theatrical background ranges from Shakespeare to new works, often blending classical technique with contemporary storytelling. Fuselage promises to be a poignant tribute to friendship, resilience, and the fragile beauty of life, reminding audiences of the enduring human spirit even in the face of unimaginable loss. 'Fuselage' makes its worldwide premiere at the Pleasance Courtyard Above for the entire fringe for tickets go to
Daily Record
29-06-2025
- Daily Record
Lockerbie bombmaker could be caught as Scots forensics make DNA breakthrough
Scientists are now looking at DNA discovered on the Lockerbie bomb suitcase. The suitcase that hid the Lockerbie bomb has finally given up its DNA secrets, almost four decades after Britain's worst terrorist attack. Forensic experts in Scotland have extracted genetic material from the lining of the case and an umbrella packed inside it and are now testing it against a Libyan suspect accused of helping blow Pan Am Flight 103 out of the sky. The bombing of the Pan Am Flight 103 in December 1988, killed 270 people. The plane exploded less than 40 minutes after departing from Heathrow, on a flight bound for New York, reports the Mirror. Since the attack, the only suspect to have been convicted of the crime is Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, a former Libyan intelligence officer who was jailed for life in 2001. However, prosecutors maintain he acted with others in carrying out the attack. Megrahi was released by the Scottish government on compassionate grounds in 2009 after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He lived for another 33 months before he died at his home in Tripoli, aged 60. His release angered many of the American victims' relatives who want to see the next suspect face a US court. The new evidence could finally link 74-year-old bombmaker Abu Agila Masud to the devastating attack just days before Christmas in 1988. He has been in US custody since December 2022 and has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Advances in technology have allowed Scottish scientists to gather DNA from the suitcase lining and an umbrella packed into the luggage before the explosion which happened mid air. Investigators believe the bomb was placed inside a radio packed in the suitcase. Prosecutors are pining their hopes on a new DNA sample that could link Masud. The Sunday Times says it has seen the US court papers which mention the potential breakthrough. Pan Am Flight 103 was heading from Heathrow to New York's JFK Airport just four days before Christmas in 1988 when it was blown out of the sky above Scotland. All 259 passengers and crew were killed, including three Irish citizens and 190 Americans. Another 11 people in Lockerbie lost their lives when parts of the plane rained down on the quiet town in Dumfries and Galloway. Masud wasn't the only suspect. Another Libyan intelligence officer, Lamin Khalifah Fhimah, 69, stood trial alongside Abdelbaset al-Megrahi in 2000. While Megrahi was convicted, Fhimah, now 69, walked free. But he's still wanted by US authorities and remains the subject of an active arrest warrant. Masud's name first came up in the original probe when detectives found the bomb had been hidden in an unaccompanied suitcase that travelled from Malta to Frankfurt, then on to Heathrow, where it was finally loaded onto Flight 103. But at the time, investigators couldn't track him down. It wasn't until Libya's dictator Colonel Gaddafi was overthrown in 2011 that Masud, known as a bomb -maker for the Libyan External Security Organisation, was finally detained by rebel forces. He was later extradited to the US, accused of building the device and taking it in a suitcase from Tripoli to Malta. Masud is alleged to have confessed while in custody in Libya, but his legal team claim the statement was extracted under duress and should not be allowed in court. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Now, a DNA sample recovered from the suitcase and items inside it could hold the key to solving the case once and for all. US court documents state that forensic scientist Dr Nighean Stevenson 'examined items relating to an umbrella and an item relating to the lining of a suitcase. These items were examined using specialised lighting, and DNA samples were taken from each. The DNA profiles obtained from these items were of varying quality and were generally commensurate with the expectations of these items.' The document continues: "Analysis of a DNA reference sample relating to the accused nominal (Masud) has yet to be carried out. 'When a DNA profile relating to this individual has been generated, it will thereafter be compared to any suitable DNA profiles which have already been obtained." Experts believe the same forensic tests could even prove whether Megrahi - the only man ever convicted over the bombing - had handled any of the items hidden in the fatal case. Key evidence against him in 2001 included the testimony of a Maltese shopkeeper, who claimed Megrahi had purchased various items of clothing, and an umbrella, from his store just days before the atrocity. In his alleged confession, made in a Libyan jail in 2012, Masud is said to have named both Megrahi and Fhimah as his co-conspirators. A criminal complaint filed by the FBI states: "Approximately three months after (the bombing), Masud and Fhimah met with the then Libyan leader, Muammar Gadaffi, and others, who thanked them for carrying out a great national duty against the Americans, and Gadaffi added that the operation was a total success."
Daily Mail
29-06-2025
- Daily Mail
DNA retrieved from suitcase pulled from wreckage may solve Lockerbie bombing riddle
Investigators have made a potential breakthrough in the Lockerbie bombing case after finding DNA evidence from the suitcase used to carry the explosive. Scientists are reported to have gathered genetic profiles from the suitcase lining and an umbrella packed into the luggage compartment of the doomed Pan Am Flight 103 after re-examining items salvaged from the wreckage in December 1988. Prosecutors now hope to be able to link the profile to alleged bomb-maker Abu Agila Masud Kheir Al-Marimi, known as Masud, who is waiting to go on trial in the US, with the DNA to be compared to swabs taken from the suspect. The Libyan, who is accused of playing a major role in what remains the UK's worst terror atrocity that killed 270 people, was due to face a jury last month but the trial was postponed as a result of his poor health and the complexity of the case. It is now not expected to begin until next spring. The Sunday Times has reported that US court papers identify a list of expert witnesses for the prosecution, including Dr Nighean Stevenson, a leading authority in DNA analysis at the Scottish Police Authority (SPA), who has re-examined exhibits from the crash site more than 30 years ago. The papers state: 'Dr Stevenson examined items relating to an umbrella and an item relating to the lining of a suitcase. 'These items were examined using specialised lighting, and DNA samples were taken from each. Part of the wreckage of a passenger jet that came down on Lockerbie in December 1988 Alleged bomb-maker Abu Agila Masud Kheir Al-Marimi, known as Masud, is waiting to go on trial in the US The scenes of devastation in the wake of the Lockerbie bombing in 1988 'The DNA profiles obtained from these items were of varying quality and were generally commensurate with the expectations of these items.' They add: 'Analysis of a DNA reference sample relating to the accused nominal [Masud] has yet to be carried out. 'When a DNA profile relating to this individual has been generated, it will thereafter be compared to any suitable DNA profiles which have already been obtained.' Masud, 74, is accused of making the bomb which brought down Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway, on December 21, 1988. All 259 passengers and crew on board were killed along with 11 residents in the town when wreckage fell to the ground. Masud, a bomb-maker for the Libyan External Security Organisation, was extradited to the US at the end of 2022 after allegedly confessing to building the Lockerbie bomb and taking it in a suitcase from Tripoli to Malta. His defence team are set to argue that the confession was extracted in Libya under duress and is therefore inadmissible. But Dick Marquise, the FBI special agent who led the US end of the original investigation said: 'If you've got his DNA [in the suitcase]... it would knock down the building blocks of his potential defence.' Mr Marquise told the publication he was not aware of any DNA evidence collected in the immediate aftermath of the bombing in 1988, adding: 'It was much too new a science.' Masud, who was taken into US custody in 2022, will be the first person accused of playing a part in the bombing to be tried in a US court. Abdelbaset Al Megrahi and co-accused Al Amin Khalifa Fahima stood trial in a Scottish court sitting in the Netherlands during 2000 and 2001. Megrahi was found guilty of mass murder and sent to Scotland to serve his life. Fahima was acquitted and returned to Libya. The Scottish Government released terminally ill Megrahi on compassionate grounds in 2009, three years before he died of cancer.
Libya Review
29-06-2025
- Libya Review
Libyan Suspect Faces Lockerbie Charges After DNA Discovery
In a major forensic breakthrough, Scottish experts have extracted DNA from items within the suitcase that contained the Lockerbie bomb, nearly 37 years after the attack. According to Express newspaper, the discovery could play a pivotal role in the upcoming trial of Libyan suspect Abu Agila Masud in Washington DC. The devastating mid-air explosion of Pan Am Flight 103 on 21 December 1988 remains Britain's deadliest terrorist atrocity, killing all 259 passengers and crew and 11 residents of Lockerbie, Scotland. Now, using advanced technology, forensic scientists have recovered DNA traces from the lining of the suitcase and an umbrella packed inside before the detonation. Abu Ajila Masud, 74, accused of building the bomb, allegedly named two accomplices in the plot: Abdelbasset al-Megrahi, convicted in 2001, and Al Amin Khalifah Fhimah, who was acquitted but remains wanted by US authorities. Court documents obtained by The Sunday Times reveal that Dr Nighean Stevenson, a leading DNA analyst with the Scottish Police Authority (SPA), is among the key expert witnesses for the prosecution. She examined the recovered items under specialised lighting and successfully extracted DNA samples of varying quality. According to filings with the US District Court for the District of Columbia, a reference sample from Masud has yet to be analysed and compared. Should a match be established, it would represent a critical piece of evidence in the prosecution's case. The new forensic evidence has reignited hope for long-awaited justice in a case that has haunted families and investigators for decades. Tags: Abu Ajila MasoudlibyaLockerbie
