Forget Tripoli: Go to Hallam University, Sheffield

Scottish Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland and FBI chief Robert Mueller have just returned from Tripoli  against a background story hinting that there may exist more evidence in Tripoli to prove that Al-Megrahi was guilty.

Following their visit a spokesperson for the Crown Office told reporters: "The Libyan authorities fully understood the importance of dealing with the tragic issues left behind by Colonel Gaddafi and his regime, both in Libya and overseas. The lord advocate expressed his desire to the Libyan prime minister that there will be a positive response to his recent request for co-operation..."

So the Libyan authorities "fully understand the importance..." And that's as conclusive as the Scottish authorities can spin it. Allah be praised!

Those who have studied the latest evidence concerning the timer fragment (on which the conviction of Al-Megrahi was in part based) know for sure that these latest travels by Mulholland and Mueller are a total waste of time and money. 

Repeatedly the Scottish authorities and FBI attempt to mislead the public into believing that there might be evidence somewhere within the bombed-out rubble of Gaddafi's former palaces and security centres to prove conclusively that Gaddafi and Al-Megrahi were guilty of the Lockerbie bombing.

Mulholland must be aware by now that independent scientific tests have proved that the Lockerbie fragment did not come from a batch of timers sold to Libya by Swiss company MEBO. It can therefore in no way be connected to Al-Megrahi. Additionally there are strong indications that the fragment was a fake, deliberately and secretly planted to frame Al-Megrahi and Libya.

Some might ask which of the words "independent scientific tests" Mulholland and Mueller fail to understand.

Others might question why no approach has been made to the Al-Megrahi defence team and to the two independent scientists who conducted those tests.

What is it about this latest evidence that Mulholland fears to investigate? Surely, if he wishes to know the "evidence" he can simply drive to Sheffield and examine it for himself.

We believe, however, that a more sinister agenda is at work. It is clear that some are intent on protecting the credibility of the Lockerbie investigation, wishing to spin the story onward and downward until, some time in the dim and distant future, it will disappear into the desert sands.

They should study the history of similar miscarriages of justice. The truth will always emerge, no matter how hard the authorities try to resist. History will in time form its own conclusions concerning the truth behind the Lockerbie tragedy, and upon the men who tried to conceal it.