Judge postpones U.S. trial for man accused in deadly 1988 Lockerbie bombing

A federal judge has postponed the United States trial of a former Libyan intelligence official accused in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. The trial, which was set to begin jury selection on Wednesday in Washington, D.C., has been delayed due to the discovery of new evidence that defense attorneys require time to investigate.

Abu Agila Mohammad Mas'ud Kheir Al-Marimi faces charges in the U.S. for allegedly constructing the bomb that destroyed the aircraft, resulting in the deaths of 270 people, the majority of whom were Americans. This marks the first U.S. trial related to the December 21, 1988, bombing.

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constitutional and ethical obligations require the defense to investigate this development.

U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich issued the order for postponement, though the specific nature of the newly discovered evidence was not detailed. Al-Marimi's legal team disclosed that prosecutors presented this new evidence on Saturday, emphasizing their "constitutional and ethical obligations" to investigate it thoroughly. Defense attorney Laura Koenig declined to provide further details when contacted by the Associated Press.

The judge has scheduled a September 1 hearing in Washington to address the case's status, citing the complexity of the case, the new evidence, and the defense's need to determine the best strategy for representation. The bombing remains one of the deadliest acts of air terrorism investigated by the FBI prior to the September 11 attacks, killing citizens of 21 countries, including 190 Americans and 43 Britons. Among the victims were 35 Syracuse University students returning from a semester abroad.

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At the same time, for almost 38 years we've been seeking the truth of what happened. If that's what this is, then that's a good thing, and this delay is worth it. ... It's important to hear all the facts.