U.S. delays Lockerbie bombing trial over new evidence
A U.S. federal judge has postponed the trial of Abu Agila Mohammad Masud, a Libyan man accused of involvement in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, due to the discovery of new evidence. No new trial date has been set, with a status hearing scheduled for September 1.
Why it matters
The Lockerbie bombing remains a significant historical event in international terrorism, and this trial represents a long-standing effort to achieve legal closure for the victims' families.
A U.S. federal judge postponed on Monday (August 25, 2026) the trial of a Libyan man accused of making the bomb that destroyed a Pan Am flight over Scotland in 1988, killing 270 people, citing new evidence.
Jury selection for the trial of Abu Agila Mohammad Masud, who allegedly worked as an intelligence operative for the government of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi between 1973 and 2011, had been due to start on Wednesday (August 26, 2026).
Judge Dabney Friedrich cited "newly discovered evidence" and "evidence located in other countries" as the reason for postponing the trial.
No new trial date was set but a court hearing was scheduled for September 1 to discuss the status of the case.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in