Libya News and Views Monday, 5 February, 2001: Libyans are preparing themselves for new evidence in the Lockerbie case that the country's leader, Colonel Mu'ammar al-Qadhafi, has promised to reveal on Monday. The Libyan leader says his evidence will prove that Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, is innocent of the bombing. He is expected to make his announcement in front of a large gathering of supporters on Monday morning. Correspondents say two possible scenarios are being discussed in Tripoli: Qadhafi will produce evidence that Washington put pressure on the Scottish judges to convict al-Megrahi or that another non-Libyan perpetrator carried out the bombing. However, there is scepticism outside the country that hard evidence will emerge at this late stage. [BBC] Monday, 5 February, 2001: Doubts are growing about the conviction of one of the Libyans accused in the Lockerbie case, after the architect of the trial expressed reservations about the verdict. Robert Black, the Scottish law professor who devised the format of the trial, said he was "absolutely astounded" that Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi had been found guilty. Mr Black said he believed the prosecution had "a very, very weak circumstantial case" and he was reluctant to believe that Scottish judges would "convict anyone, even a Libyan" on such evidence. The view, published in British newspapers on Sunday, echoes that of some of the families of UK victims of the Lockerbie bombing, who are calling for a public inquiry to find "the truth of who was responsible and what the motive was". [BBC] Monday, 5 February, 2001: On the eve of revelations Colonel Mu'ammar al-Qadhafi has promised in the Lockerbie bombing trial, Libya on Sunday denounced the case as a "racist pretext" to prolong nine years of sanctions. Libyans found support for their stand when Robert Black, the Scottish law professor who devised the trial, told a British newspaper the guilty verdict of one of the bombing suspects was based on "very, very weak evidence." "The opinion of this neutral and honest specialist proves that the sentence is a racist pretext dictated by political aims and not based on judicial evidence," a Libyan official told AFP. [AFP] Monday, 5 February, 2001: The Libyan man acquitted of murder in the Lockerbie trial has been speaking out in his home town of Tripoli. Al-Amin Fhimah told the Arabic satellite TV channel Al-Jazeera that he viewed his release as a gift from God. He said he was convinced that his co-defendant, Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi, will soon be released as well. Speaking to a crowd of well-wishers at his house in Tripoli, Mr Fhimah said he sees his acquittal as God's will, and feels no gratitude to the court that freed him. "If it had not been a gift from God, I would have stayed with my colleague. I would have continued the time with him and returned here together," he says. "It's only a matter of time. Soon Abdelbaset will come back home," he adds. [BBC] _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
