The Wisdom Fund - http://www.twf.org Released February 6, 2001 Article: http://www.twf.org/News/Y2001/0206-Lockerbie.html LOCKERBIE VERDICT "ASTONISHING" Professor Robert Black, a former judge with 13 years' experience and Scotland's leading expert on criminal procedure and evidence, described the decision by three Scottish judges to convict Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi as "astonishing." Mr. Megrahi, alleged Libyan secret serviceman, was found guilty of the murder of 270 people when Pan Am flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland. Co-defendant Al Amin Khalifa Fhimah was found not guilty of the murder. Prof. Black, who devised the format of the Netherlands-based trial, conducted under Scottish law at Camp Zeist, points to paragraph 89 of the Opinion of the Court: "We are aware that in relation to certain aspects of the case there are a number of uncertainties and qualifications. We are also aware that there is a danger that by selecting parts of the evidence which seem to fit together and ignoring parts which might not fit, it is possible to read into a mass of conflicting evidence a pattern or conclusion which is not really justified." In Prof. Black's view the Crown case has failed to comply with strict Scottish legal rules that evidence be corroborated. He adds, "for reasons that were never satisfactorily explained," a fragment of an electronic circuit board "was not dealt with by the investigators and forensic scientists in the same way as other pieces." This fragment of a timer is an important link to Libya in the evidence. Other evidence questioned by Prof. Black relates to clothing purchased by Mr. Megrahi in Malta, and computer printouts linking Mr. Megrahi to a piece of unaccompanied baggage on Flight KM 180 from Malta to Frankfurt on 21 December 1988 which was then carried on to Heathrow. Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has condemned the verdict in the Lockerbie bombing trial as an "injustice". Mr. Megrahi is expected to appeal. The appeal court is expected to be chaired by Lord Cullen, Scotland's second most senior judge. Copyright © 2001 The Wisdom Fund - Provided that it is not edited, and author name, organization, and web address (www.twf.org) are included, this article may be printed in newspapers and magazines, and displayed on the Internet. __________________________________________________ ____________________ To subscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
