Iran accused of being responsible for Lockerbie explosion

In another turn of events in the decade long case, former CIA officer claims that Iran was behind the bombing that killed 270 people

BY Libyan Express Jan 05, 2021 - 17:09

The 1988 bombing killed a total of 270 people, including 190 Americans and 11 people on the ground. [Photo: AP]

Former CIA operations officer, John Holt has claimed that the perpetrator of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing was not Libya, but Iran.

Holt, a handler for a key witness in the Lockerbie trial, Abdul-Majid Giaka, has said that he reported to the CIA and BIA that he does not believe that Libya was behind the explosion that killed 270 people.

“Iran is the true perpetrator of this deadly attack and should be brought to justice,” Holt wrote in an op-ed published by The Times of Israel on Sunday. “The US government prevented my testimony and hid from evidence the cables I wrote that proved Giaka knew nothing.”

Holt called for the US government to “re-examine,” the Lockerbie case “due to the availability of evidence against Iran.”

The US Justice Department recently unsealed new charges against a third man, Abu Agila Mohammad Masud, a Libyan intelligence officer and is charged with two criminal counts related to the bombing of a Pan Am jet that killed 190 Americans.

The views expressed in Op-Ed pieces are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of Libyan Express.
How to submit an Op-Ed: Libyan Express accepts opinion articles on a wide range of topics. Submissions may be sent to oped@libyanexpress.com. Please include ‘Op-Ed’ in the subject line.