The bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie

In November 1991, two alleged Libyan intelligence officers, Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi and Lamin Khalifa Fhimah, were indicted for the bombing. (Getty Images)
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Updated 05 May 2020
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The bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie

The truth about the deadliest terror attack in UK history may never be known

Summary

On Dec. 21, 1988 Pan-Am Flight 103, en route from Frankfurt, via London, to New York, crashed on the Scottish town of Lockerbie, killing all 259 passengers and crew. Eleven residents in a single street in Lockerbie also died when part of the wreckage fell on the town.

Crash investigators quickly found traces of high explosives, triggering a forensic investigation that the aircraft had been downed by a bomb concealed inside a cassette player in a suitcase in the aircraft’s hold.

In November 1991, two alleged Libyan intelligence officers, Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi and Lamin Khalifa Fhimah, were indicted for the bombing. For nine years Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Qaddafi refused to allow their extradition, but under pressure from international sanctions finally agreed to allow them to face trial for murder under Scots law in a special court in The Netherlands.

Fhimah was found not guilty but Al-Megrahi was sentenced to life imprisonment. Diagnosed with prostate cancer, he was released on compassionate grounds after serving a little over eight years of his sentence. He returned to a hero’s welcome in Libya, where he died almost three years later.

JEDDAH: The king leads the Saudi delegation at a GCC summit in Manama, there is a new government in Israel, and there is a crisis in Sudan; that Arab News front page could have been published almost any day this year.

Except the Saudi king was King Fahd, the Israeli prime minister was Yitzhak Shamir, and another report on the page tells you this not 2020, but Dec. 23, 1988. Two nights before, Pan Am Flight 103 from Frankfurt to Detroit via London and New York had been blown up by a terrorist bomb as it crossed the border between England and Scotland.

With a death toll of 270 — all 243 passengers and 16 crew, and 11 victims on the ground in Lockerbie, where the aircraft smashed into two residential streets at 800kph— it remains the deadliest terror attack in UK history.

Few events resonate all the way from a small Scottish border town to the White House. This was one such event. Lockerbie, with its 4,000 souls, joined that list of places in the UK and elsewhere — Aberfan, Munich, Srebrenica, My Lai — forever associated in the public consciousness with cruel and senseless loss of life. 

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Scotland, my country, and Glasgow, my city, are not soft places, nor are the journalists they produce noted for emotional incontinence. But I saw tough, cynical, diamond-hard reporters return from Lockerbie numbed into glazed-eyed silence by the enormity of what they saw there, and full of respect and admiration for the quiet dignity and fortitude with which its townspeople bore their losses. 

Most of the plane’s passengers were American, and their relatives flew from the US to identify bodies and possessions. The people of Lockerbie temporarily buried their own grief to provide accommodation, food, comfort and solace to the bereaved. Bonds were forged that remain to this day.




A page from the Arab News archive showing the news on Dec. 23, 1988.

When a terrorist attack was confirmed, the perpetrator identified by Washington was inevitable. The US and the regime of Muammar Qaddafi in Libya had been in a state of undeclared war for years, and US airstrikes in April 1986, far from cowing Qaddafi, appeared only to have incensed him.

US and UK investigators believe Libyan agents in Malta concealed a Semtex bomb inside a radio-cassette player and sent it in a suitcase to Frankfurt, where it was loaded aboard Pan Am Flight 103 and the fate of 270 people was sealed.

Key Dates

  • 1

    The US Federal Aviation Authority issues a bulletin warning of an anonymous tip that a Pan Am flight from Frankfurt will be blown up in the next two weeks.

  • 2

    Pan Am Flight 103 is destroyed by a bomb over Lockerbie.

  • 3

    Alleged Libyan intelligence officers Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi and Lamin Khalifa Fhimah are indicted for murder by US and Scottish authorities, but Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi refuses to allow their extradition for trial.

    Timeline Image Nov. 1991

  • 4

    After a nine-year standoff, Qaddafi agrees to allow Al-Megrahi and Fhimah to be tried under Scottish law in the Netherlands.

  • 5

    Al-Megrahi is jailed for life. Fhimah is found not guilty.

  • 6

    Al-Megrahi loses an appeal against his conviction.

    Timeline Image March 14, 2002

  • 7

    Qaddafi accepts Libya’s responsibility for the bombing and agrees to pay compensation to each of the victims’ families.

  • 8

    Al-Megrahi, with terminal prostate cancer diagnosed, is released on compassionate grounds and returns to Libya.

  • 9

    Libyan civil war breaks out.

  • 10

    Libya’s former Justice Minister Mustafa Abdul Jalil claims Qaddafi’s regime was implicated in the bombing.

  • 11

    Qaddafi is killed by rebel militia while trying to flee after the fall of Tripoli.

  • 12

    Al-Megrahi dies, aged 60.

With some narratives, paradoxically, it can make sense to work backwards — from when Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi, a Libyan intelligence officer and former head of security for Libyan Arab Airlines, died at his home in Tripoli on May 20, 2012, at the age of 60.

More than 11 years earlier, in January 2001, three Scottish judges sitting at a special court in a former US air base in the Netherlands had sentenced Al-Megrahi to life imprisonment on 270 counts of murder for the Lockerbie bombing. He served more than eight years in two prisons in Scotland before the Scottish government released him on compassionate grounds when doctors said he had terminal cancer, and he returned to Libya in August 2009. Given three months to live, he lasted for nearly three years.

Al-Megrahi was, and remains, the only person to be convicted of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103; with his death, therefore, case closed? Well, no.

The repercussions began soon after the disaster, and continue to this day. Pan Am, its security operations exposed as criminally useless, was bankrupt after a year and out of business after two. UN sanctions against Qaddafi and Libya reinforced their pariah status, and the country remains a failed state embroiled in civil conflict. For the rest of us, airline and airport security have intensified on an apparently endless upward trajectory, and we can at least be grateful that an unaccompanied suitcase with a bomb inside can never again travel from Malta through two airports to the skies over Scotland.

“The Town Hall, decorated with festival lights and now hastily converted into a mortuary, was besieged by distraught relatives.”

From a Reuters story in Arab News, Dec. 23, 1988

Perhaps most significantly, however, Lockerbie may have marked the beginning of a collapse in public trust in what our governments tell us. Authorities in the US and the UK insist that Al-Megrahi was guilty, and that he acted alone or with a single accomplice. Few believe that.

Major world events — the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the moon landings, the 9/11 attacks on America — attract conspiracy theorists like iron to a magnet, and Lockerbie is no exception. It was Iran; it was the Palestinians; it was Mossad; it was the Stasi; it was apartheid South Africa.

What makes Lockerbie different is that one of the “theories” is almost certainly fact — which one, is anyone’s guess. One man more entitled that most to guess is Jim Swire, the softly spoken but determined English country doctor whose daughter Flora, 23, perished on board the plane. Swire, now in his eighties, has devoted his life to finding the truth about Lockerbie. He met and questioned Al-Megrahi. He met and questioned Qaddafi. He has been a thorn in the side of UK and US authorities for more than 30 years, and he believes to this day that the case against Al-Megrahi was a travesty and a tissue of lies, to cover up some ghastly truth that may never be known.

US President George H. W. Bush set up an aviation security commission in September 1989 to report on the plane’s sabotage, and British relatives of the victims met members of the commission at the US Embassy in London in February the following year. A member of Bush’s staff told one of the relatives: “Your government and ours know exactly what happened, but they are never going to tell.”

And that, surely, for the victims of Pan Am Flight 103, for their still grieving families, and for the people of Lockerbie, was the final insult.

  • Ross Anderson, associate editor at Arab News, was on duty as a senior editor at Today newspaper in London on the night of the Lockerbie disaster


Saudi Arabia to drive Islamic finance growth in 2025, S&P says 

Updated 3 min 53 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia to drive Islamic finance growth in 2025, S&P says 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is poised to play a key role in propelling the growth of the global Islamic finance industry in 2025, underpinned by non-oil economic expansion and robust sukuk issuance, according to a new analysis.  

The Kingdom’s banking system growth, supported by Vision 2030 initiatives, is expected to contribute significantly to the expansion of Islamic banking assets next year, S&P Global Ratings said in its latest outlook report. 

Saudi Arabia’s debt market has seen significant growth in recent years, attracting investors’ interest in debt instruments amid rising interest rates.  

“We expect economic growth in Saudi Arabia and the UAE will continue supporting Islamic banking asset expansion in 2025, barring any significant disruptions from global trade tensions or a further decline in oil prices,” said S&P Global.  

The report also noted that Vision 2030 “will continue to translate into significant banking system growth, provided it attracts sufficient refinancing sources, including sukuk issuances from the international capital market.” 

Earlier this month, Kuwait Financial Center, also known as Markaz, reported that the Kingdom led the Gulf Cooperation Council in primary bond and sukuk issuances during the first quarter, raising $31.01 billion from 41 offerings. That accounted for 60.2 percent of total GCC issuances during the period. 

S&P Global said the strong performance of the UAE’s non-oil economy, along with capital expenditure needs across various sectors, will continue to support financing requirements and sukuk issuances in 2025. 

The US-based agency added that the growth of the global Islamic finance market will also be supported by countries in the GCC, including Qatar, Bahrain and Oman, as well as by nations in the Asia-Pacific region such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia. 

“The financing growth of Islamic banks will continue to outshine conventional banks’ credit growth, facilitating market share gains. However, this growth might be somewhat tempered by local currency volatility,” the report said.  

Resilient growth  

The global Islamic finance industry is expected to maintain its steady growth momentum in 2025, supported by financing needs linked to economic diversification efforts, according to S&P Global. 

The agency said strong performance in both banking and sukuk segments helped the industry grow 10.6 percent year-on-year in 2024, with total sukuk outstanding surpassing $1 trillion for the first time in November. 

Banking assets accounted for about 60 percent of the Islamic finance industry’s growth in 2024, up from 54 percent in the previous year. The GCC region was the primary driver, contributing 81 percent of that growth — two-thirds of which came from Saudi Arabia, the report showed. 

Islamic banking, also known as Islamic finance, refers to financial activities that comply with Shariah law. Sukuk, or Islamic bonds, are Shariah-compliant debt instruments through which investors gain partial ownership of an issuer’s assets until maturity. 

Commenting on the outlook, Mohamed Damak, head of Islamic Finance at S&P Global Ratings, said: “Financing needs driven by economic transformation programs will remain high, and the inherent preference for Islamic finance will persist. As a result, despite growing uncertainty, we expect the Islamic finance industry to grow in 2025.” 

According to S&P Global, oil prices are expected to average $65 per barrel for the remainder of 2025 and $70 per barrel in 2026, which could support growth in most core Islamic economies. 

The agency projected that global sukuk issuance is likely to reach between $190 billion and $200 billion in 2025, assuming current market volatility does not have a significant impact. Foreign currency-denominated issuance is expected to contribute $70 billion to $80 billion. 

The report also noted that global sukuk issuances declined slightly in 2024, totaling $193.4 billion compared to $197.8 billion in 2023. 

In a separate forecast made in January, Fitch Ratings said global sukuk issuances could reach $190 billion to $200 billion this year, driven by increased offerings in countries such as Saudi Arabia and Indonesia. 

S&P Global’s findings align with a separate analysis released by Moody’s in September, which projected that the profitability of Islamic banks in the GCC will remain strong over the next 12 to 18 months. Moody’s attributed this to stable oil prices, government-led economic diversification initiatives, and high levels of business confidence. 

In December, a report by Kamco Invest projected that Saudi Arabia will see the largest share of bond maturities in the GCC region between 2025 and 2029, totaling $168 billion. 

The latest report from S&P Global said sustainable sukuk issuance is expected to range between $10 billion and $12 billion in 2025, compared to $11.9 billion in 2024 and $11.4 billion in 2023. 

The issuance of sustainable sukuk will be supported by the Islamic finance guidelines introduced by the International Capital Market Association in April 2024, along with other regulatory initiatives. 

The guidelines allow a broader range of assets to be used as underlying assets for sukuk, provided the proceeds are invested in green or social assets and projects. This added flexibility is aimed at addressing the shortage of sustainable assets in the Islamic finance space. 

In 2024, Saudi Arabia accounted for 38 percent of total sukuk issuances. 

However, the volume of sustainable sukuk issuance in the UAE declined by 60 percent in 2024 compared to the previous year. 

“We anticipate an increase in sustainable sukuk issuance when GCC issuers implement climate transition plans more quickly and make progress toward renewable energy targets, particularly if regulators offer incentives for sustainable issuances,” said the report.  

Potential challenges 

In the report, S&P Global also highlighted several challenges that could affect the global Islamic finance industry, including a potential decline in crude oil prices and the adoption of the draft Shariah Standard 62. 

In late 2023, the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions released an exposure draft of Shariah Standard 62 on sukuk. 

The proposed guidelines address a range of market elements, including Shariah requirements for issuances, asset backing and ownership transfer, investment and financing structures, as well as trading and settlement procedures. 

“Adopting Sharia Standard 62 could disrupt the sukuk market from 2026 by potentially reclassifying the instruments from debt-like to equity-like. But the extent of this will depend on whether the standard is approved, its content, and when it will be implemented,” said S&P Global.  

It added: “If Standard 62 is adopted as proposed, we anticipate the industry could become more fragmented and less attractive to investors and issuers due to higher sukuk pricing for issuers and fewer fixed-income investors.”  

In January, Fitch Ratings echoed similar views, noting that the adoption of AAOIFI guidelines could alter the structure of the sukuk market and potentially lead to increased fragmentation.


Pakistan PM offers condolences to Christian community at Pope Francis’ death

Updated 22 min 57 sec ago
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Pakistan PM offers condolences to Christian community at Pope Francis’ death

  • Dead at 88, Pope Francis was the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church
  • PM Shehbaz Sharif praises Pope Francis for demanding Gaza ceasefire during Easter address

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered his condolences to the Christian community on Monday over the passing of Pope Francis, describing him as a strong advocate of interfaith harmony and peace. 

The Vatican announced Francis’ death in a video statement on Monday. The first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, his death ended an often-turbulent reign marked by division and tension as he sought to overhaul the hidebound institution.

The pope was 88 and had survived a serious bout of double pneumonia.

“The passing of Pope Francis is an irreparable loss for the entire world, especially the Christian community,” Sharif was quoted as saying by his office. 

“On behalf of the government of Pakistan and the people of Pakistan, I extend heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the Vatican City, the global Christian community and all his admirers around the world.”

Pope Francis called for a ceasefire in Gaza during his brief appearance before thousands of Catholic pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the Vatican’s open-air Easter Sunday mass. 

Sharif praised Francis for calling for the cessation of hostilities in Gaza, saying it was reflective of his “deeply humane” character. 

“Under his leadership, the Catholic Church spread the message of love, tolerance, and mutual respect across the world,” he said. 

Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected pope on Mar. 13, 2013, surprising many church watchers who had seen the Argentine cleric, known for his concern for the poor, as an outsider.

He sought to project simplicity into the grand role and never took possession of the ornate papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace used by his predecessors, saying he preferred to live in a community setting for his “psychological health.”

He inherited a church under attack over a child sex abuse scandal and torn by infighting in the Vatican bureaucracy, and was elected with a clear mandate to restore order.

But as his papacy progressed, he faced fierce criticism from conservatives, who accused him of trashing cherished traditions. He also drew the ire of progressives, who felt he should have done much more to reshape the 2,000-year-old church.

While he struggled with internal dissent, Francis became a global superstar, drawing huge crowds on his many foreign travels as he tirelessly promoted interfaith dialogue and peace, taking the side of the marginalized, such as migrants.

With additional input from Reuters


Pakistan sent over 151,000 laborers to Gulf countries in first three months of 2025

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Pakistan sent over 151,000 laborers to Gulf countries in first three months of 2025

  • Ministry of overseas Pakistanis and human resources sent around 172,144 workers abroad in first three months of 2025
  • Saudi Arabia, UAE and other Gulf countries have always remained key destinations for Pakistan’s skilled, unskilled workers

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan sent 151,120 skilled laborers to Gulf countries in the first three months of 2025, state-run media reported on Monday, with Saudi Arabia topping the list of countries where the most number of Pakistani workers went. 

A significant number of Pakistanis seek employment opportunities abroad for a better standard of living as the country grapples with macroeconomic challenges. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other Gulf countries are key destinations for Pakistan’s skilled and unskilled workers, whose remittances are vital for the cash-strapped country. 

“The report stated that the highest number of 121,970 Pakistanis went to Saudi Arabia, while 6,891 people went to the UAE, 8,331 to Oman, 12,989 to Qatar and 939 to Bahrain,” the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said.

“Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment, an attached department of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development had sent around 172,144 Pakistani workers abroad to different countries in the first three months of this year.”

The report said of the Pakistani workers that went abroad, 38,274 were drivers, 3,474 technicians, 2,130 electricians, 1,859 masons, 1,689 cooks, 1,479 engineers, 1,058 welders, 849 doctors, 436 teachers and 390 were nurses.

The report highlighted that 1,454 workers also went to the United Kingdom, 870 to Turkiye, 815 to Greece, 775 to Malaysia, 592 to China, 350 to Azerbaijan, 264 to Germany, 257 to the United States, 109 to Italy and 108 to Japan in the same time period.

In 2024, the Overseas Pakistanis Ministry reported that 727,381 skilled laborers were sent to work in Middle Eastern and European countries. A senior Pakistani official said in February that the government was working to bridge the skills gap and enhance the global competitiveness of Pakistani workers, particularly in the Middle Eastern job market.

In January, Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Chaudhry Salik Hussain said Islamabad was focused on increasing the number of skilled workers heading to Saudi Arabia, highlighting the importance of an innovative project management and a well-trained labor force.

Pakistan sends approximately one million skilled workers abroad each year to help reduce unemployment and boost foreign exchange reserves through remittances.

Pakistan also received a record-high $4.1 billion in remittances in March 2025, a positive sign for the government’s efforts to revive an economy it expects to grow by three percent this year, with Saudi Arabia once again leading as the top contributor.


Middle East leaders offer condolences following Pope Francis’ death

Updated 12 min 57 sec ago
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Middle East leaders offer condolences following Pope Francis’ death

DUBAI: Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi offered his condolences following the death of Pope Francis on Monday.

“Pope Francis was a voice of peace, love and compassion,” said El-Sisi.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, President of the UAE, said Francis dedicated his life to promoting the principles of peaceful coexistence and understanding.

“I extend my deepest condolences to Catholics around the world on the passing of Pope Francis, who dedicated his life to promoting the principles of peaceful coexistence and understanding. May he rest in peace,” said Sheikh Mohamed via statment on X.

 

 

Prime minister of UAE Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum said Pope Francis was a great leader whose compassion and commitment to peace touched countless lives.

 

 

In a statement on X, Sheikh Mohammed said “his legacy of humility and interfaith unity will continue to inspire many communities around the world.”

Jordan’s King Abdullah II, on X, meanwhile said: “Deepest condolences to our Christian brothers and sisters around the world. Pope Francis was admired by all as the Pope of the People. He brought people together, leading with kindness, humility, and compassion. His legacy will live on in his good deeds and teachings.”

 

 

Lebanon’s Christian President Joseph Aoun mourned the death on Monday of Pope Francis, a “dear friend and strong supporter” of the crisis-hit multi-confessional country.

“We will never forget his repeated calls to protect Lebanon and preserve its identity and diversity,” Aoun – the Arab world’s only Christian president – said in a statement on the presidency’s X account, calling Francis’s death “a loss for all humanity, for he was a powerful voice for justice and peace” who called for “dialogue between religions and cultures”.

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas meanwhile paid tribute to Pope Francis, calling him a “faithful friend of the Palestinian people,” the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.

“Today, we lost a faithful friend of the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights,” Abbas said, noting that Pope Francis “recognized the Palestinian state and authorized the Palestinian flag to be raised in the Vatican.”

Iran also offered its condolonces. Israeli President Isaac Herzog praised the deceased pope on Monday as ‘a man of deep faith and boundless compassion.”

Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church died after suffering from pneumonia.

In 2019, Pope Francis was the first pontiff to lead a mass in the Middle East, more specifically the UAE.  

Francis charted new relations with the Muslim world by visiting the Arabian Peninsula and Iraq.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected pope on March 13, 2013, surprising many Church watchers who had seen the Argentine cleric, known for his concern for the poor, as an outsider.

He sought to project simplicity into the grand role and never took possession of the ornate papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace used by his predecessors, saying he preferred to live in a community setting for his “psychological health.”


Aramco, China’s BYD collaborate on new energy vehicle technologies

Updated 21 April 2025
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Aramco, China’s BYD collaborate on new energy vehicle technologies

RIYADH: Saudi energy major Aramco and Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD have signed a joint development agreement to explore advancements in new energy vehicle technologies. 

The partnership, formalized between Saudi Aramco Technologies Co. and BYD, aims to develop solutions that enhance efficiency and reduce environmental impact, according to a joint statement. 

Bringing together the research capabilities of both companies, the collaboration is focused on innovation in low-carbon mobility. Aramco has been active in energy-related research, while BYD is a recognized player in EV and battery technologies.  

Saudi Arabia is continuing to develop its electric vehicle infrastructure under Vision 2030, which targets greater sustainability and economic diversification.   

Ali Al-Meshari, Aramco’s senior vice president of Technology Oversight and Coordination, said: “The collaboration between SATC and BYD aims to support energy efficiency improvements, and it builds on Aramco’s extensive research and development of new energy solutions.”  

He added: “Aramco is exploring a number of ways to potentially optimize transport efficiency, from innovative lower-carbon fuels to advanced powertrain concepts.” 

Al-Meshari emphasized the need for a multifaceted approach to support a practical energy transition and welcomed BYD’s role in the initiative. 

Luo Hongbin, senior vice president at BYD, highlighted the importance of collaboration in driving innovation.   

“At the crossroads of technological innovation and environmental protection, BYD always believes that true breakthroughs come from openness and collaboration,” he said.  

Hongbin added: “We expect that SATC and our cutting-edge R&D capabilities in new energy vehicles will break the boundaries of geography and mindset to incubate solutions that combine highly-efficient performance with a lower carbon footprint.”  

Hongbin expressed confidence that the partnership would contribute to broader climate action goals. 

BYD, a long-standing player in electric mobility, has expanded its presence in the automotive, energy storage, and rail transit sectors, contributing to green technology development. 

Aramco, one of the world’s largest integrated energy and chemicals companies, has been investing in technologies aimed at improving resource efficiency and supporting energy transition efforts. 

In January, the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Co. — a joint venture between the Public Investment Fund and Saudi Electricity Co. — signed a deal with Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility, BYD’s local partner, to install high-speed EV chargers across the Kingdom.  

EVIQ plans to deploy more than 5,000 charging stations by 2030, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s goal to become a regional hub for electric mobility. 

Global forecasts suggest electric and eco-friendly vehicles could account for half of all car sales by 2035, making the Kingdom’s investments in EV infrastructure a key step toward future mobility.