2 INDICTED IN PAN AM DEATHS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: STARGATE
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP96-00789R001001430002-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 4, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 25, 2002
• Sequence Number: 2
• Content Type: NSPR

p 8 ? IA- 0078 tr l For 4/indictedhAn1 RDP96E is
Suspects
are spies
for Libya
By Jerry Seper and Paul Bedard
THE NASHINGTON TIMES
The United States and Britain yes-
terday charged two Libyan intelli-
gence agents with murder and con-
spiracy in the deaths of 270 persons
in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am
Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.
Abdel Basset Ali Megrahi and
Lamen Khalifa Fhimah, described
as "officers and operatives" of the
Libyan intelligence agency, are ac-
cused of planting the bomb on the
Boeing 747 jumbo jet and murdering
the 259 persons on board and 11 on
the ground.
The two men, both of whom are
believed to be in Libya, are consid-
ered fugitives.
"This investigation is by no means
over," Attorney General-designate
William P Barr, who was deputy at-
torney general when nominated for
the top Justice Department job, said
in announcing the indictment in
Washington.
"We will not rest until all those
responsible are brought to justice,
and we have no higher priority"
The indictment was returned by a
federal grand jury. A similar indict-
ment against the two Libyans was
announced simultaneously in Brit-
ain by Scotland's Lord Advocate,
Lord Fraser of Carmyllie, who said
Libyan government officials would
be pressed to turn the men over for
trial.
Meanwhile, the White House
strongly indicated that Libyan
leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi was
involved in the bombing and sug-
gested that state-sponsored terror-
ism would be met with diplomatic
and then military retaliation.
In an unusually blunt statement.
White House press secretary Marlin
Fitzwater said, "We are talking
about the full range of matters that
are available to countries in terms of
their authorities ? the diplomatic,
civilian, military, across the whole
gamut."
Senior administration officials
said President Bush already has dis-
cussed retaliation plans with the
leaders of several NATO allies, in-
cluding British Prime Minister John
Major and French President Fran-
cois Mitterrand The diseuNsious
AP
The evidence: Attorney General-designate William Barr displays a photo of a fragment of the radio-cassette player where the Pan Am bomb was hidden.
The suspects; Abdel Basset Ali Megrahi (left)
and Lamen Khalifa Fhimah are charged in the
1988 bombing of Flight 103, which killed 270.
have taken place over the past sev-
eral days.
Military opt ions include seizing
the alleged terrorists and senior Lib-
yan authorities, awitktttrig,tso,Zilic
administration sotift VV./Min-Myr
they said, the administration would
tenni with other nations to press
I thia through diplomatic channels
to turn over the alleged conspirators.
Mr. Fitzwater and other officials
made the case for military action by
characterizing the t?ombing as state-
group. But administration officials
pressed the peaceful, diplomatic
tice.
"We are considering action, and
I'll leave it at that:' he said.
As the indictment was an-
cr,a- litgirapitmtwo
to play a major role in sponsoring
and promoting international terror-
ItverWie,t(1 brine the suspects to -ios, tsnt
. Security ,his been 'stepped up
around U.S. installations and air
bases out of concern that Libya
might react to the indictment with
0 irows 2i terrorist action..
,4n ilk first major crimi-
nal indictment since being nom-
,'
see lin ANS, page A8
Soviet
unity
gains
support
By Gerald Nadler
THE VYASHINGTON TIMES
MOSCOW? Soviet President Mi-
khail Gorbachev reached -agree,z
ment with the leaders of severt.ye,
publics yesterday to preserve
union government in a'hew corded
erated state.
The accord reached afteeall-day
talks at Mr. Gorbachev's dacha out r.
side Moscow marked the most 'sig.-,
nificant progress since *failed:.
August coup at maintainiira cen-
tral government, which is preferred.
by international financial orgattiz-''''.
tions and foreign states in dealing r
with Moscow
But five republics? the Ukraine,
Moldavia, Georgia, Armenia and UZ.-
bekistan ? did not attend the State
Council meeting at Novo-Ogarevo
with Mr. Gorbachev; the agreemen't
is also only the first step in a long.;
process.
The political union pact must- be
finalized, then approved by the par-
liaments of the republics and sent
back to the State Council. '
Foreign governments are con-
cerned that the lack of a central gov- ?
ernment structure could lead to a
dangerous dispersal of Soviet nu-
clear weapons among the republics
and that there would be no central
authority to pay the foreign debt of
$70 billion.
Mr. Gorbachev, who has threat-
ened twice in the last three months
to resign if a union treaty is not
signed, held his hands together in
front of him in a pose of relief and
thankfulness at the televised news
conference where the progress to-
ward a pact with the republics was
announced.
"The new I Union Of Sovereign
States will be a confedevatedtdo: ,
cratic government:' Mr Gorbachev
said. He added that a military ttaigrk,
agreement was one ot the nod .steps
toward reforging the Soviet state.
Boris Yeltsin and Nu.rsultan.,
Nazarbayev, presidents of the two
largest republics. Russia and Ka-
zakhstan, then stepped forward tO
announce their approval of the ac-:
cord as a smile engulfed Mr. cort4-..,,,`
chev's face.
"It is hard to say what 'Will he k.he
see soviErs. page AX.. -
Approved For Release 2003/04/18 : CIA-RDP96-00789R001001430002-1
PGE A8 / FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15 1991
LIBYANS
From page Al
inated last month, described the in-
---yestigation as "one of the most
exhaustive and complex" in history.
"We charge that two Libyan of-
ficials, acting as operatives of the
Libyan intelligence service along
with other co-conspirators, planted
and detonated the bomb that de-
stroyed Pan Am Flight 103," he said.
"I have just telephoned some of
the families of those murdered in
Pan Am Flight 103 to inform them
and the organizations of survivors
that this indictment has been re-
turned' he said. "Their loss has been
ever-present in our minds."
The 193-count indictment, re-
turned by a federal grand jury in
Washington, alleges that the two Lib-
yan intelligence officials con-
structed a bomb of plastic explosive
and a sophisticated timing device
land put it into a portable radio-
cassette player in a suitcase.
On Dec. 20, 1988, according to the
.indictment, they flew from Libya to
-Malta, where one of them had
worked for Libyan Arab Airlines and
had access to baggage tags of an-
other airline, Air Malta.
"By using stolen Air Malta bag-
gage tags, the defendants and their
co-conspirators were able to route
the bomb-rigged suitcase as unac-
companied luggage," Mr. Barr said.
"The suitcase was put aboard an Air
Malta flight that went to Frankfurt,
Germany"
At Frankfurt, the indictment said,
the suitcase was transferred to a
connecting Pan Am flight ? 103-A
.? bound for Heathrow Airport in
London. At Heathrow, it was placed
',aboard Pan Am 103 and exploded
about 38 minutes after the aircraft
had left for New York City on Dec.
*21, 1988.
The two Libyans are charged with
conspiracy to murder those on board
the plane and placing a bomb on the
jet. The United States has no extradi-
tion treaty ? or diplomatic relations
- ? with Libya to bring them to this
country for trial. Justice Depart-
ment authorities said they hoped to
- get the men back to the United States
- but did not elaborate.
Mr. Barr said U.S. and Scottish
authorities, after an "exhaustive"
analysis of tons of debris, deter-
mined that the bomb had been in the
- suitcase in a large, aluminum bag-
gage container in the aircraft's for-
ward cargo hold. He said the bomb
' consisted of 10 to 14 ounces of plas-
? tic explosive.
"The methodical crime scene in-
vestigation yielded a tiny, small &ag-
o ment -- smaller than a fingernail
that had been driven by the blast into
the large cargo container," he said.
- "Forensic experts determined that
this was part of the circuit board of
the lbshiba radio."
He said a fragment of green cir-
cuit board, also smaller than a fin-
gernail, was found in a piece of shirt
that had been in the suitcase contain-
ing the bomb.
"Scientists determined that it was
part of the bomb's timing device and
traced it to its manufacturer, a Swiss
company that had sold it to a high-
level Libyan intelligence official,"
Mr. Barr said.
Mr. Megrahi, 39, was described by
- U.S. authorities as a senior officer of
- the Libyan intelligence agency,
? known as the Jamahirya Security
Organization. They said he has held
various positions with Libyan Arab
Airlines and served as director of
the Center for Strategic Studies in
Tripoli at the time of the bombing.
Mr. Fhimah, 35, also was de-
scribed as a covert agent of the Lib-
yan intelligence agency and worked
as station officer with Libyan Arab
_ Airlines in Malta.
The indictment represents the
first charges to be filed in the nearly
3-year-old case. Of those who died in
the terrorist explosion, 189 were
Americans. The victims were from
21 countries and included eight fam-
ilies of four. Sixteen infants sitting
on the laps of their parents also were
killed.
Thirty-five of the victims were
Syracuse University students re-
turning to the United States after a
pre-Christmas trip to Europe.
The investigation initially cen-
tered on allegations that the Syria-
backed Popular Front for the Liber-
ation of Palestine-General Com-
mand (PFLP-GC), led by suspected
terrorist Ahmed Jibril, had been re-
sponsible for the Pan Am bombing.
CIA intelligence officials orig-
inally said the organization con-
spired with Iranian officials to at-
tack a U.S. airliner in retaliation for
- the 1988 accidental downing of an
Iranian jetliner by a U.S. warship,
the USS Vincennes, in the Persian
Gulf.
But Assistant Attorney General
, Robert Mueller III, who heads the
, Justice Department's criminal divi-
sion, said yesterday there was no evi-
dence to link the Pan Am bombing to
Iran, Syria or the PFLP-GC.
Yesterday's State Department re-
port on Libya's terrorism role said:
? Libya provides training facili-
Pe
ao4i
WHO DID IT?
Initially, the Pan Am bombing investigation centered on the Syria-backed
terrorist group Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General
Command. Yesterday's indictment against two Libyan intelligence officers
said they acted with "other co-conspirators," but officials said there was no
evidence to link the bombing to Iran, Syria or the PFLP-GC.
Various officials and press reports pointed to this list of characters as
possible suspects during the probe.
1
"
?de-
m e
d
W
O M:

., Leader
G
;'
.

. Popular
-
Front
'beratioh?palePtine'"'Ge9er41 and.
tartaristce,.1-the PFCE:0Ct West Germany
was
b6liev"to?hava carried outbombing, Bomb parts
Joundindebrl5-;round Lockerbiewer7'rePart
td
i.
e
Y
traced his group.
EMoham Abu Tib: Identified by Swedishreportedly
court asasusPect-rbombingand amemberothe
PaiestinepoPuTerstruggieFront'susPectedof
Purchesingsomeof the clothing found
e
on Pam Am Flight 103in which the bomb was hiden.
idJaffahLepare0eAMerican student from
Dorolwb9wee killedthebombin9wae
suspected
f unknowingly carried t1eb0mb400rdtheplanein

,a
suitcase: 0ftibialsyesterdaydeniAd involvement.
? Haflz Dalk?mom'pFmemberndkeY
aide toibril,w`s.atre'tId in West Germany with 13
other suspected terrorists two months beforethepan
Am incident. U.S. inteiiIbenceofficialsidentifiedhim
as being involved
in bombing attempts.
EAbdaiIh 80noussl ?natherinlawof Libyan
,

r
o
rt ? 7
IIO
M

'a
'- d
a

the
?
.1J 9ib1.0
3
antoreionatairs. Id
e, n t i fie
,
d
-
'
b-
y
r
l
a

A

LIPanibte
of Liby
tpr.obom
dial,elPeetec
because equipment he used in other bombings matched equipment
fianaaur
colleagueofmohamm
eofthenilitaryinbesum
r6p9rte

.

ingenc0serYicetheJamahirya
the Security
t the Part
AThtP"
?m0uSs? KOUs":vice minister
offlcialssasuspec
tjaenp
eagentandlongtime

Rafsanjani
U.S. intelligence
Bingattempts.
in mmed
telligenc
Nayc.,
s?
-?
,
,
:
?
,i,
r.8601Q- Libyan
offi
the bombing. was arrested released USE
?
Omran Saber: Libyan in
edNaydi?Arrestedith released.Mr'
aooalso,
$ All President of 'cat!ytwas
identified in Pam Am i.mg7
mer of when :
throuoh Revolutionary

operationwas
Guard._
The Washington Times
Abdel Basset Ali Megrahi
Lamen Khalifa Fhimah
TRACKING TERRORIST BOMB
Chronology of events surrounding bombing of PattAin Flight
21" 1988, ? - .? ?,' ??? ' .;: ?
Nov. 14, 1991 ? Two Libyan intelligence officials indicted for planting
bomb that destroyed Flight 103.
Dec.1990- Departmentjusticp s -Ion i
?Inoe 4
evidence that error who blew bp Pant 'AM Flight 103 i,y0-ye
were unwittingly aided by An undercover U.S.,dilig ifiVeagatioti.,
Nov. 16, 1990? President Bush signs a bill tightening airport security.
British government repontritn'tne.:diSaSteriirge
aircraft. firraalo:make aircraft :safer: Families Of the victims say to at
di,maatiapp.q.wo.#*repOrt because it failed to consider airport SistOr
June 11, 1990 ?Justice Department reports "significant progress" in the
investigation but says evidence to bring charges was still "not in hand."
May 15, 1990? A presidential commission investigating the bombin
recommends the?United .StatesahOUldtako niltitarfattiOrilagaina
"terrorists" and nations that harbor them.
May 10 1990 ? Pan Am reaches an out-of-court settlement with 250
Scottish families whose relatives were killed or injured in the disaster.
Dec. 8 Scotland's chief law officer announces the
4.01-OPY.jnt0::010P0.11104.1Z/OutaMc.r:imingl.PrPPOPOI931,4kP:...,:t
Nov. 17, 1989 ? A presidential commission opens hearings in
Washington.
?
Ploy..: 4
:i?.:'
.1989..',.'-
.r..., :.,.: .:. '.?. .:.' ,7:'- . ._:?
' ','.'r
,.. ,
... '.C?: ? . .7 --,'.
.'.:.'.
...,..I. .
A
. .P
'.
I
r
. ,
..': .?..
,.,...?.. P
'..:.t..
? :...,.P...
r.
:
.,?.;;
W.
;?' ': ::?,
.i,:,: l ,l'
'
' i'
e:
? ..-':M.
,.
..
:
,.
W.?i? ..:
.: e,.
'
l''
'
ter says
S
?
'
:
h
.
: e
. u '
r' ... .. t
,t,e..:?
v
.: .:
.'...
?,
.-
': a-
.
te
.:
.
s
hopes
to seize thethebdnbere and bring them to:1r the United statO?.,
P
.,
?
,
Oct. 30939West German officials sayinvestigatorsfounda trail
leadingtLN:1tas thelikelys?urceof tnebomband scyaLibyan man
m
et
o
taoY
have Played a role.
Sept. 114i4MPe_1 aye.bei eve identified group responsible
the bombing.
mna'4,1Q89:?Prsident Byshannounces formation
ofa
seven -member commissiontoIrvestigate air terrorism, with particular
emphasis on the Pan Am bombing.
A r8 Alt Investigators1'989.',4T a U.S. tricked loto taking
thobo,b.on board.
April 3, 1989? The United States announces new measures to combat
sky terrorism.
ma!4 22)?89..A4iatb.plte4iont official testifies
itetiurite:8tatPsi?e?altipo-ui 40 fromforeign
government because of ti:4101PPp7.:itn?tc;1A
involved.
aM., 10, 1939 British investigators say the bomb was planted inthe
aircraft's
forward baggage hold.
Dec..334-;!88.Libyan.i6d6r,n A a i i e'Y&believes
sabotage denies Libya,
it a or i.
responsible. The father of victim
e first lawsuit againstPan Am
Dec. ?, 1988 ?Britain'sAir Accidents Investigations Branch says the
jet was blown up oya powerfylbombmadeof PIesticexnl0sives.Lawyers
representing familiesof the victimssaythey will sue the U.S. government
and PanAm.
Dec. 23, 1988t, British official says the ort4of1040009'Oibli
warnings about threat b information considered.
9hfiq?1-
Dec. 2 ,1988 ? British investigators say sabotage was the most likely
cause of the crash.u.S.official- say a threat to)IowuPapanAm flight
New York originating .n Frankfurt, Germany. as Flight 103 had, wasmad
U.S. embassies inEuropeand major airlines earlier in the month.
,,..
,
?24980.fiiqht?-..ips:18.-00or
.-p080040.004-4..0o0.1 T.90 it-40-,:-$1.r.
,i0i.000..'e.e..04.:'Noot ' ..:-.: ,?: .:.:-::''.:
deaths in more than 100 terrorist
attacks.
? Col. Gadhafi last year gave more
than $1 million to the PFLP-GC, a
terrorst group responsible for the
The Washington Times
ation Front, which has a long history
of terrorist attacks, remain based in
Libya, receiving broad government
support.
? Libya's terrorist support and
- ties and several million dollars a kt waciA twog vf traced to the
year to tiatpidrowatliftgaaleias,e 2 Ir. fn 11;27o the Philippines,
which has been connected to 280 ? Elements of the Palestine Liber- Costa Rica, Peru and Chile.
-tierg9Rigimeidulli2st
t1