Relatives of those killed in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, as well as emergency workers and local people who assisted after the attack, have been urged to register with the FBI to gain remote access to the criminal trial of a Libyan man accused of making the bomb.
The U.S. Department of Justice said potential victims should fill out an online FBI questionnaire to be "verified" for remote access to pre-trial hearings and the trial itself, which will be viewable at a government-designated site. Officials said people who previously registered must re-register because the trial date was changed.
The defendant, Abu Agila Mohamad Mas'ud Kheir Al-Marimi, known as Masud, is accused of priming the explosive device that destroyed Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, on Dec. 21, 1988. The bombing killed all 259 passengers and crew on board and 11 people on the ground — 270 victims in total. Masud, who is in his 70s, has denied the charge, the Justice Department said.
The trial had been scheduled for May 2025 but was postponed at the joint request of prosecution and defence teams and is now set to begin in April 2026 in Washington. The Justice Department said it is encouraging anybody who believes they were "personally or approximately harmed" by the bombing to register so they can be considered for verified victim status.
"If you believe you have been personally or approximately harmed by the bombing of Pan Am 103 you can qualify for remote access to Masud's trial," said Jeanine Ferris Pirro, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, in a statement released by the department. "To qualify you must register as a verified victim by filling out the FBI questionnaire. For more information on this case, visit the US DOJ website and the FBI information page."
Verified victims, the Justice Department said, will be granted the ability to listen to pre-trial hearings and view the trial proceedings remotely at the designated facility. The department is specifically asking that relatives of victims, first responders, and local residents who provided immediate assistance register, as well as anyone else who believes they were harmed by the bombing.
The suspected role of Masud in the bombing follows a long history of legal investigations and a previous conviction in connection with the attack. Abdelbasset al-Megrahi was convicted in Scotland in 2001 of the murder of the 270 victims; he was later released on compassionate grounds by the Scottish government and died in Tripoli in 2012.
Authorities have not provided further details about security arrangements for remote viewing or how many people are expected to qualify for verified victim status. The FBI questionnaire and additional case information are available on the U.S. Justice Department and FBI websites, officials said.
The Department of Justice's outreach comes more than three decades after the bombing, which remains one of the deadliest attacks involving a civilian aircraft. Families of the victims and communities in Lockerbie and elsewhere have repeatedly sought answers and accountability as legal proceedings linked to the attack have continued in different jurisdictions over the years.
Officials said the re-registration drive aims to ensure that those seeking access to the April 2026 trial are properly verified under current procedures and that logistical preparations can accommodate verified victims who wish to follow the proceedings remotely.