Letter from Iain McKie, on behalf of the Committee of Justice for Megrahi to the Convener, Criminal Justice Committee, 25 January 2022
I refer to your email of 17th January to Jim Swire re the above petition and have noted its contents.
On 28th June 2011 the Public Petitions Committee referred the Justice for Megrahi (JfM) petition PE1370 to the Justice Committee for consideration. Its terms were as follows.
‘Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to open an independent inquiry into the 2001 Kamp van Zeist conviction of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi for the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 in December 1988.’
As Mr Swire has done, I would emphasise that despite the passage of so many years the case is still very much active and the Megrahi family represented by lawyer Aamer Anwar, is actively seeking the opinion of the UK Supreme Court.
Over the years JfM has consistently emphasised the importance of the Justice Committee keeping our petition on the table until all legal action is completed. We believe that it is only then that an objective and informed decision can be made on holding an independent inquiry into Mr Megrahi’s conviction
It is our understanding that successive Justice Committees have agreed with our rationale.
Deep controversy still surrounds the whole circumstances behind the investigation of the Lockerbie bombing and the conviction of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi and until fully resolved this tragedy will continue to cast a shadow over the Scottish Justice System nationally and internationally.
We greatly value the Criminal Justice Committee’s continuing scrutiny and political oversight, which we believe is very much in the public interest, and we would respectfully urge the Committee to allow Petition PE1370 to remain on the table.
Yours sincerely,