Abu Agila Mohammad Masud Kheir al-Marimi appeared in a US courtroom nearly 34 years after bomb blew up a Pan Am jet over Scotland, killing 270 people.
“:”An alleged former Libyan intelligence agent accused of making the bomb that blew up a Pan Am jet over Scotland in 1988, killing 270 people, appeared in a US court on Monday to face charges for the deadliest-ever terror attack in Britain. Abu Agila Mohammad Masud Kheir al-Marimi, who allegedly worked as an intelligence operative for the regime of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi between 1973 and 2011, faces three counts related to the Lockerbie bombing. Federal prosecutors said they did not intend to seek the death penalty but Masud could face life in prison if convicted of “destruction of an aircraft resulting in death” and two other related charges. The judge presiding over the hearing in a US District Court in Washington read the 71-year-old Masud the charges and his rights before ordering him held without bond until a detention hearing on December 27. The balding and white-bearded Masud was provided with an Arabic interpreter for the hearing, his first court appearance since being brought to the United States. Scottish prosecutors announced Sunday that the Tunisian-born Masud was in American hands, but officials have not provided any details on how he had been transferred to US custody . Scottish court upholds Lockerbie bomber’s conviction “Yesterday, the United States lawfully took custody of Abu Agila Mohammad Masud Kheir Al-Marimi and brought him to the United States,” Homeland Security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall said in a statement.
