Lockerbie bombing trial postponed over new evidence

A federal judge on Monday postponed the trial of a former Libyan intelligence operative charged in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, citing the discovery of new evidence that defense attorneys need time to examine. The decision delays what would have been the first U.S. trial related to the attack that killed 270 people over Lockerbie, Scotland. U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich issued the order in Washington, D.C., postponing jury selection that had been scheduled to begin on Wednesday. The judge cited the complex nature of the case, the newly discovered evidence, and the need for the defense to determine how best to proceed. A status hearing has been set for September 1 to discuss next steps, though no new trial date has been set. The defendant, Abu Agila Mohammad Masud Kheir AlMarimi, is in his mid-70s and has been in U.S. custody since 2022. He is charged with building the bomb that destroyed the Boeing 747. Prosecutors allege he and others carried out the bombing at the direction of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. AlMarimi has pleaded not guilty and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison if convicted.