Families Lose Lockerbie Case Ruling

JUDGES have ruled that relatives of the victims of the Lockerbie bombing should not be allowed to pursue an appeal on behalf of the only man convicted of the atrocity.

A group of British relatives argued that they had a ''legitimate interest'' in trying to get the case of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi back before a court for a full appeal.

They believe the Libyan, who died protesting his innocence in his ho me country in 2012, was the victim of a miscarriage of justice and want his conviction overturned.

The Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (SCCRC), which is once again looking at Megrahi's conviction, asked the Appeal Court in Edinburgh for guidance on whether members of the victims' families can take forward an appeal.

Previous court decisions have meant that only the executor of a dead person's estate or their next of kin could proceed with such a posthumous application.

A hearing took place at the court today before The Lord Justice Clerk Lord Carloway sitting with Lord Brodie and Lady Dorrian.

Delivering their judgment, Lord Carloway said that the law was not designed to give relatives of victims a right to proceed in an appeal for their own or the public interest''.

Two of the relatives of victims involved in the action - Dr Jim Swire and Rev John Moseley - were present in court for the hearing.

After the decision, they joined Aamer Anwar, solicitor for the Megrahi family and 26 British relatives of Lockerbie victims, to deliver a statement outside the court saying the fight would continue.

Mr Anwar said: It is regularly claimed that we place victims at the heart of the justice system, so why should the families of murder victims not have a legitimate interest in seeking to overturn the wrongful conviction of the person convicted of the murder of their loved ones?

Justice does not die with the accused, in this case Abdelbaset al-Megrahi.

Despite 26 long years since the Lockerbie bombing the families will not give up their fight for justice and the truth.

The matter is not concluded as we remain instructed by al-Megrahi's family.''