A federal judge is targeting January 19 for the start of jury selection in the trial of Abu Agila Mohammad Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi, a former Libyan intelligence official accused in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. The trial, originally scheduled for August 26, was postponed to allow defense attorneys more time to review newly discovered evidence.
U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich stated her intention to check juror availability before finalizing the new trial date. The specific nature of the new evidence has not been disclosed in court filings, with both the judge and attorneys refraining from revealing details during a recent pretrial hearing.
Al-Marimi faces charges of destruction of an aircraft resulting in death, with prosecutors alleging the bombing was carried out under the direction of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. The attack on the New York-bound flight killed all 259 passengers and crew members aboard, along with 11 people on the ground in Lockerbie, Scotland. The bomb detonated 38 minutes after takeoff from London Heathrow Airport on December 21, 1988, when the plane was at an altitude of 31,000 feet.
Al-Marimi, now in his mid-70s, faces a maximum penalty of life in prison if convicted. His legal team indicated that they will need to interview new witnesses and present additional expert testimony in response to the newly disclosed evidence. The trial is anticipated to last approximately two months.