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Verdict politcally influenced { January 21 2002 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/scotland/2002/lockerbie_appeal/1773868.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/scotland/2002/lockerbie_appeal/1773868.stm Monday, 21 January, 2002, 16:24 GMT Lockerbie verdict 'politically influenced' A United Nations observer at the trial of two Libyans accused of the Lockerbie bombing has said the judgment appeared to be politically influenced. Speaking at a conference on the trial at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Austrian philosophy Professor Hans Koschler said there appeared to be pressure from the USA and UK. Prof Koschler was one of five people appointed to observe the trial held at the Scottish Court in Camp Zeist in the Netherlands. Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of the killing of 270 people in the 1988 bomb attack on Pan Am Flight 103. His co-accused Al Amin Khalifa Fhimah was acquitted and has since returned to a hero's welcome in Tripoli. Prof Koschler, who said his views were his own and not those of the United Nations, said: "The present judgment is logically inconsistent. "You cannot come out with a verdict of guilty for one and innocent for the other when they were both being tried with the same evidence. "In my opinion, there seemed to be considerable political influence on the judges and the verdict. "My guess is that it came from the United States and the United Kingdom. This was my impression." The Innsbruck University professor said he had submitted his report on the trial to UN General Secretary Kofi Annan, who had forwarded it to the Scottish authorities. Sanctions question The conference was expected to discuss Libyan demands for sanctions to be abolished. Both US President George W Bush and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair have said that sanctions will not be lifted until Libya accepts responsibility for the bombing and pays compensation. Al Megrahi's legal team are appealing against his conviction.

Accuses cia { August 29 2000 } Acuitted condemns cia { February 2 2001 } Bombs libya iran { January 31 2001 } Brit lord investigating lockerbie doubts witness { October 23 2005 } Case unproven { January 11 2001 } Cia badge found at lockerbie crash scene { June 29 2007 } Cia heroin trafficking { June 27 2001 } Gaddafi calls eu acceptance Gaddafi to give evidence { February 5 2001 } Iran guilt protected in lockerbie bombing Iran syria protected in lockerbie scapegoat trials { June 29 2007 } Libya might assume responsibility { March 12 2003 } Libya says compensation not admitting guilt { February 24 2004 } Libya to pay 3b lockerbie Libyan rejects lockerbie blame { February 25 2004 } Libyans protest { February 3 2001 } Lockerbie appeal { August 23 2001 } Lockerbie bombing investigations dropped Lockerbie deal end libya sanctions { August 14 2003 } Panam103 time 1992 { April 27 1992 } Police chief says lockerbie evidence was faked Powell says lockerbie settlement closer { August 11 2003 } Relatives answers { February 1 2001 } Relatives push answers { February 1 2001 } Russia backs lifting sanctions State dept lawyer says lockerbie trial was cia fix Un lifts libya sanctions { September 12 2003 } Un tries head off french veto Verdict politcally influenced { January 21 2002 } Victims doubt verdict { October 15 2001 } Files Listed: 30

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