A Libyan intelligence official accused of creating the bomb that introduced down Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988 in a global act of terrorism has been taken into U.S. custody and can face federal prices in Washington, the Justice Division mentioned Sunday.

The arrest of Abu Agila Mohammad Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi is a milestone within the decades-old investigation into the assault that killed 259 folks within the air and 11 on the bottom. American authorities in December 2020 introduced prices in opposition to Mas’ud, who was in Libyan custody on the time. Although he’s the third Libyan intelligence official charged within the U.S. in reference to the assault, he could be the primary to look in an American courtroom for prosecution.

The New York-bound Pan Am flight exploded over Lockerbie lower than an hour after takeoff from London on Dec. 21, 1988. Residents from 21 completely different international locations have been killed. Among the many 190 Individuals on board have been 35 Syracuse College college students flying residence for Christmas after a semester overseas.

The bombing laid naked the specter of worldwide terrorism greater than a decade earlier than the Sept. 11 assaults. It produced international investigations and punishing sanctions whereas spurring calls for for accountability from victims of these killed. The college’s present chancellor, Kent Syverud, mentioned in a press release that the arrest was a major improvement within the lengthy course of “to carry these accountable for this despicable act to justice.”

Stephanie Bernstein, a Maryland girl whose husband, Michael, was among the many 270 victims — he was a Justice Division official returning on the flight from authorities enterprise — mentioned the information was “surreal” as a result of there had been instances previously two years when victims’ households had been instructed that “it seems promising” solely to seek out that was not the case.

“At first I believed I used to be dreaming once I was instructed what had occurred, but it surely’s occurred, and I’m extremely grateful that this man might be tried in america,” Bernstein mentioned in an interview.

The announcement of prices in opposition to Mas’ud on Dec. 21, 2020, got here on the thirty second anniversary of the bombing and within the closing days of the tenure of then-Lawyer Common William Barr, who in his first stint as legal professional normal within the early Nineteen Nineties had introduced legal prices in opposition to two different Libyans intelligence officers.

The Libyan authorities initially balked at turning over the 2 males, Abdel Baset Ali al-Megrahi and Lamen Khalifa Fhimah, earlier than in the end surrendering them for prosecution earlier than a panel of Scottish judges sitting within the Netherlands as a part of a particular association.

The Justice Division mentioned Mas’ud would seem quickly in a federal court docket in Washington, the place he faces two legal counts associated to the explosion.

U.S. officers didn’t say how Mas’ud got here to be taken into U.S. custody, however late final month, native Libyan media reported that Mas’ud had been kidnapped by armed males on Nov. 16 from his residence in Tripoli, the capital. That reporting cited a household assertion that accused Tripoli authorities of being silent on the kidnapping.

In November 2021, Najla Mangoush, the overseas minister for the nation’s Tripoli-based authorities, instructed the BBC in an interview that “we, as a authorities, are very open when it comes to collaboration on this matter,” when requested whether or not an extradition was doable.

Torn by civil struggle since 2011, Libya is split between rival governments within the east and west, every backed by worldwide patrons and quite a few armed militias on the bottom. Militia teams have amassed nice wealth and energy from kidnappings and their involvement in Libya’s profitable human trafficking commerce

A breakthrough within the investigation got here when U.S. officers in 2017 obtained a replica of an interview that Mas’ud, a longtime explosives knowledgeable for Libya’s intelligence service, had given to Libyan legislation enforcement in 2012 after being taken into custody following the collapse of the federal government of the nation’s chief, Col. Moammar Gadhafi.

In that interview, U.S. officers mentioned, Mas’ud admitted constructing the bomb within the Pan Am assault and dealing with two different conspirators to hold it out. He additionally mentioned the operation was ordered by Libyan intelligence and that Gadhafi thanked him and different members of the workforce after the assault, in keeping with an FBI affidavit filed within the case.

That affidavit mentioned Mas’ud instructed Libyan legislation enforcement that he flew to Malta to fulfill al-Megrahi and Fhimah. He handed Fhimah a medium-sized Samsonite suitcase containing a bomb, having already been instructed to set the timer in order that the gadget would explode precisely 11 hours later, in keeping with the doc. He then flew to Tripoli, the FBI mentioned.

Al-Megrahi was convicted within the Netherlands whereas Fhimah was acquitted of all prices. Al-Megrahi was given a life sentence, however Scottish authorities launched him on humanitarian grounds in 2009 after he was identified with prostate most cancers. He later died in Tripoli, nonetheless protesting his innocence.

In saying prices in opposition to Mas’ud in 2020, Barr mentioned the U.S. and Scotland would use “each possible and applicable means” to carry him to trial.

“In the end, this man accountable for killing Individuals and lots of others might be topic to justice for his crimes,” Barr mentioned on the time.

Scotland’s Crown Workplace and Procurator Fiscal Service on Sunday introduced the arrest as nicely, saying in a press release that “the households of these killed within the Lockerbie bombing have been instructed that the suspect is in U.S. custody.”

The assertion added that “Scottish prosecutors and police, working with U.Ok. authorities and U.S. colleagues, will proceed to pursue this investigation, with the only intention of bringing those that acted together with al-Megrahi to justice.”