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Acuitted condemns cia { February 2 2001 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/1150873.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/1150873.stm Friday, 2 February, 2001, 19:04 GMT Acquitted Libyan condemns CIA The Libyan cleared of causing the Lockerbie bombing has claimed that "outside pressure" was put on the Scottish court in the Netherlands. Al Amin Khalifah Fhimah said in a television interview that pressure was put on him and his co-accused Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi. Mr Fhimah would not identify who had applied pressure, but condemned the US Central Intelligence Agency. Megrahi was found guilty of murder on Wednesday and sentenced to spend 20 years in prison for the 1988 Lockerbie bombing. Mr Fhimah said he would be pursuing a claim for damages against the US and UK governments. He returned to Libya on Thursday to a hero's welcome after spending 22 months in prison at Camp Zeist. Mr Fhimah and co-accused Megrahi were tried for murder before a panel of Scottish judges. They were accused of planting a bomb on board Pan Am Flight 103 on December 21, 1988, killing all 259 people on board and 11 people on the ground in Lockerbie, in south-west Scotland. Speaking for the first time since his release, he said: "What happened during the trial was not normal." In an interview on Abu Dhabi satellite television, he said that "pressures were exerted... inside the court" against him and Megrahi. He said: "What was presented to the court did not include any proof. There were simply suspicions and lies on the part of the CIA." He said he would create an organisation called the World Victims of the CIA to study all cases incriminating American intelligence services. He said he would personally finance the group, calling on "all the world's free men, human rights groups and charitable associations to support the project". "The coming days will prove Megrahi's innocence," Fhimah added. Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi said on Thursday that he had evidence that would clear Megrahi. He said he would be making that evidence public on Monday. Meanwhile, lawyers representing relatives of US Lockerbie victims have said they are to resume legal proceedings in a $10bn damages claim against the Libyan Government. Jim Kreindler, who is leading the case on behalf of 150 relatives, said Megrahi's conviction was key to their case. Compensation demand The civil action, which was halted to allow the trial of the two Libyans to go ahead in the Netherlands, is to claim compensation and punitive damages from the North African state. Politicians in both the US and the UK have been calling on Colonel Gaddafi to comply with a United Nations Security Council resolution that Libya accept responsibility for the bombing and compensate the families of the victims. London and Washington are demanding $740m (£500m) in compensation, or about $3m (£2m) for each Lockerbie victim. And they have said that sanctions against Libya will not be lifted until that happens.

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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