Dr Hans Kochler, the United Nations observer appointed to oversee the Lockerbie trial has called on Alex Salmond, the First Minister, to agree to demands for an international inquiry into the handling of the case. ( UN Lockerbie trial observer urges independent inquiry into the case )
Kochler has written to Alex Salmond and Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, calling for experts from countries not involved in the case to investigate the way the investigation was conducted by UK and US authorities.
The Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (SCCRC) rejected claims evidence was invented to implicate Libya.
This was described as "rather strange" by Dr Köchler.
Dr Kochler has stated that the original Camp Zeist trial was "not fair and was not conducted in an objective manner".
Dr Köchler is calling for "a full and independent public inquiry of the Lockerbie case and its handling by the Scottish judiciary as well as the British and US political and intelligence establishments".
Kochler writes: "In order to avoid bias, such an investigation will require the participation of additional legal experts, to be appointed by the United Nations Organisation, from countries that are not involved in the Lockerbie dispute.
"Those politicians in the United Kingdom and the United States who have proclaimed an international 'war on terror' will not be credible in their strategy if they prevent a full investigation into the causes of the explosion of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie. All those responsible, without exception, must be brought to justice."
The Reverend John Mosey, whose daughter was killed in the disaster, and who is a member of the support group UK Families Flight 103, also wants an independent investigation.
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From WSWS:
Man convicted for Lockerbie bombing wins right to appeal
"Evidence submitted by Megrahi’s defence team was leaked to the Scotsman. In addition to evidence questioning Gauci’s reliability as a witness, the submissions included statements from a retired Scottish police officer, known as 'Golfer', accusing investigators of the disaster of tampering with evidence.
"Scotland on Sunday, June 24, reported 'Golfer' as claiming, 'Senior members of the Lockerbie investigating team agreed to manufacture and manipulate evidence to help secure a suspect and conviction.'...
"The short published SCCRC report, summarising an 800-page report submitted to the High Court, specifically rejects 'Golfer’s' allegations... The commission does not identify the inconsistencies and contradictions it claims to have found (in Golfer's evidence)."
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Professor Hans Koechler, the official UN observer at the trial and appeal, said about the SCCRC: "In giving exoneration to the police, prosecutors, and forensic staff, I think they show their lack of independence. No officials to be blamed, simply a Maltese shopkeeper. They also exonerate the original trial and appeal defence team and this also surprises me. I have doubts that the Scottish judicial system has learned anything from the Lockerbie trial." Http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/other/display.var.1506988.0.0.php
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Tam Dalyell wrote: "Within an hour of Pan Am 103 crashing on Lockerbie, on a point of order, I interrupted House of Commons routine business to ask for a statement. Simultaneously, by helicopter, American personnel were arriving on the scene, and were soon to take over..." Http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=184&id=1014702007
Tam Dalyell continued: "SO WHERE does the report of the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission leave the reputation of Scottish justice? As the son-in-law of former Lord Justice Clerk, John Wheatley, and as one who helped to persuade Libya to surrender Al-Amin Khalifa Fhimah and Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi to the Scottish legal process it pains me to say: 'In proverbial tatters.'..." Http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=184&id=1014702007
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"Several minutes before flight 103 took off from London's Heathrow airport, FBI Assistant Director Oliver 'Buck' Revell pulled his son and daughter-in-law off the plane" (Source: Paul Hudson, head of U.S. Pan Am survivors group.) http://www.constitution.org/ocbpt/ocbpt_en.htm#1001
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