CIA-RDP96-00789R001001430002-1

2 indicted in Pan Am death's
pproved For R le se 2003/04/18 : CIA-RDP96-0078 R0010014300 2-1
Suspects
are spies
for Libya
By Jerry Seper and Paul Bedard
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
The United States and Britain yes-
terday charged two Libyan intelli-
gence agents with murder and con-
spiracy in the deaths of 270 persons
in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am
Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.
Abdel Basset Ali Megrahi and
Lamen Khalifa Fhimah, described
as "officers and operatives" of the
Libyan intelligence agency, are ac-
cused of planting the bomb on the
Boeing 747 jumbo jet and murdering
the 259 persons on board and 11 on
the ground.
The two men, both of whom are
believed to be in Libya, are consid-
ered fugitives.
"This investigation is by no means
over," Attorney General-designate
William P. Barr, who was deputy at-
torney general when nominated for
the top Justice Department job, said
in announcing the indictment in
Washington.
"We will not rest until all those
responsible are brought to justice,
and we have no higher priority."
The indictment was returned by a
federal grand jury. A similar indict-
ment against the two Libyans was
announced simultaneously in Brit-
ain by Scotland's Lord Advocate,
Lord Fraser of Carmyllie, who said
Libyan government officials would
be pressed to turn the men over for
trial.
Meanwhile, the White House
strongly indicated that Libyan
leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi was
involved in the bombing and sug-
gested that state-sponsored terror-
ism would be met with diplomatic
and then military retaliation.
In an unusually blunt statement,
White House press secretary Marlin
Fitzwater said, "We are talking
about the full range of matters that
are available to countries in terms of
their authorities - the diplomatic,
civilian, military, across the whole
gamut."
Senior administration officials
said President Bush already has dis-
cussed retaliation plans with the
leaders of several NATO allies, in-
cluding British Prime Minister John
Major and French President Fran-
cois Mitterrand. The discussions
KENT
AP
The evidence: Attorney General-designate William Barr displays a photo of a fragment of the radio-cassette player where the Pan Am bomb was hidden.
A
The suspects: Abdel Basset Ali Megrahi (left)
and Lamen Khalifa Fhimah are charged in the
1988 bombing of Flight 103, which killed 270.
Reuters
have taken place over the past sev-
eral days.
Military options include seizing
the alleged terrorists and senior Lib-
yan authorities, according to Bush
administration souApproved ForRelease 2003/2steht
they said, the administration would
team with other nations to press
Libya through diplomatic channels
to turn over the alleged conspirators.
Mr. Fitzwater and other officials
made the case for military action by
characterizing the bombing as state-
sprasgred terror
group. But administration officials
pressed the peaceful, diplomatic
avenne to Bring the suspects to ses
tice.
"We are considering action, and
I'll leave it at that." he said.
As the indictment was an-
to play a major role in sponsoring
and promoting international terror-
:ism ..
Security has been stepped up
around U.S. installations and air
bases out of concern that Libya
might react to the indictment with
Hitlis first major crimi-
nal indictment since being nom-
see LIBYANS, page A8
Soviet
unity
gains
support
By Gerald Nadler
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
MOSCOW - Soviet President Mi-
khail Gorbachev reached agree;
ment with the leaders of seven-re:
publics yesterday to preserve va!
union government in a new confed
erated state.
The accord reached after all-day
talks at Mr. Gorbachev's dacha out;
side Moscow marked the most sig-
nificant progress since the failed.
August coup at maintaining a cen-
tral government, which is preferred
by international financial organiza
tions and foreign states in dealing
with Moscow.
But five republics - the Ukraine,
Moldavia, Georgia, Armenia and Už-
bekistan - did not attend the State
Council meeting at Novo-Ogarevo.
with Mr. Gorbachev; the agreement
is also only the first step in a long.
process.
The political union pact must be
finalized, then approved by the par-
liaments of the republics and sent
back to the State Council. "
Foreign governments are con-
cerned that the lack of a central gov:
ernment structure could lead to a
dangerous dispersal of Soviet nu-
clear weapons among the republics
and that there would be no central
authority to pay the foreign debt of
$70 billion.
Mr. Gorbachev, who has threat-
ened twice in the last three months
to resign if a union treaty is not
signed, held his hands together in:
front of him in a pose of relief and
thankfulness at the televised news.
conference where the progress to:
ward a pact with the republics was
announced.
"The (new) Union of Sovereign
States will be a confederated, domo
cratic government," Mr. Gorbachev
said. He added that a military union
agreement was one of the next steps
toward reforging the Soviet state.
Boris Yeltsin and Nursultan.
Nazarbayev, presidents of the two
largest republics, Russia and Ka-
zakhstan, then stepped forward to
announce their approval of the ac-
cord as a smile engulfed Mr. Gorba
chev's face.
"It is hard to say what will be the
see SOVIETS, page Ag

Approved For Release 2003/04/18 : CIA-RDP96-00789R001001430002-1
PAGE A8 / FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1991 +
The Washi
LIBYANS
-From page A1
.,inated last month, described the in-
vestigation as "one of the most
"-exhaustive and complex" in history.
"We charge that two Libyan of-
ficials, acting as operatives of the
Libyan intelligence service along
with other co-conspirators, planted
and detonated the bomb that de-
stroyed Pan Am Flight 103," he said.
"I have just telephoned some of
the families of those murdered in .
Pan Am Flight 103 to inform them
and the organizations of survivors
that this indictment has been re-
"turned," he said. "Their loss has been
ever-present in our minds."
The 193-count indictment, re-
turned by a federal grand jury in
Washington, alleges that the two Lib-
"yan intelligence officials con-
structed a bomb of plastic explosive
and a sophisticated timing device
`and put it into a portable radio-
cassette player in a suitcase.
On Dec. 20, 1988, according to the
„indictment, they flew from Libya to
·Malta, where one of them had
'worked for Libyan Arab Airlines and
had access to baggage tags of an-
other airline, Air Malta.
"By using stolen Air Malta bag-
gage tags, the defendants and their
co-conspirators were able to route
the bomb-rigged suitcase as unac-
companied luggage," Mr. Barr said.
"The suitcase was put aboard an Air
Malta flight that went to Frankfurt,
Germany."
At Frankfurt, the indictment said,
the suitcase was transferred to a
connecting Pan Am flight - 103-A
- bound for Heathrow Airport in
London. At Heathrow, it was placed
aboard Pan Am 103 and exploded
about 38 minutes after the aircraft
had left for New York City on Dec.
21, 1988.
The two Libyans are charged with
conspiracy to murder those on board
the plane and placing a bomb on the
`jet. The United States has no extradi-
,tion treaty - or diplomatic relations
- with Libya to bring them to this
- country for trial. Justice Depart-
ment authorities said they hoped to
+ get the men back to the United States
: but did not elaborate.
Mr. Barr said U.S. and Scottish
· authorities, after an "exhaustive"
analysis of tons of debris, deter-
mined that the bomb had been in the
suitcase in a large, aluminum bag-
gage container in the aircraft's for-
. ward cargo hold. He said the bomb
: consisted of 10 to 14 ounces of plas-
.tic explosive.
"The methodical crime scene in-
vestigation yielded a tiny, small frag-
· ment - smaller than a fingernail -
* that had been driven by the blast into
" the large cargo container," he said.
. "Forensic experts determined that
this was part of the circuit board of
the Toshiba radio."
He said a fragment of green cir-
cuit board, also smaller than a fin-
gernail, was found in a piece of shirt
that had been in the suitcase contain-
ing the bomb.
"Scientists determined that it was
part of the bomb's timing device and
traced it to its manufacturer, a Swiss
company that had sold it to a high-
level Libyan intelligence official,"
Mr. Barr said.
Mr. Megrahi, 39, was described by
U.S. authorities as a senior officer of
the Libyan intelligence agency,
known as the Jamahirya Security
Organization. They said he has held
various positions with Libyan Arab
Airlines and served as director of
the Center for Strategic Studies in
Tripoli at the time of the bombing.
Mr. Fhimah, 35, also was de-
scribed as a covert agent of the Lib-
yan intelligence agency and worked
as station officer with Libyan Arab
Airlines in Malta.
The indictment represents the
first charges to be filed in the nearly
3-year-old case. Of those who died in
the terrorist explosion, 189 were
Americans. The victims were from
21 countries and included eight fam-
ilies of four. Sixteen infants sitting
on the laps of their parents also were
killed.
Thirty-five of the victims were
Syracuse University students re-
turning to the United States after a
pre-Christmas trip to Europe.
The investigation initially cen-
tered on allegations that the Syria-
backed Popular Front for the Liber-
ation of Palestine-General Com-
mand (PFLP-GC), led by suspected
terrorist Ahmed Jibril, had been re-
sponsible for the Pan Am bombing.
CIA intelligence officials orig-
inally said the organization con-
spired with Iranian officials to at-
tack a U.S. airliner in retaliation for
- the 1988 accidental downing of an
Iranian jetliner by a U.S. warship,
the USS Vincennes, in the Persian
Gulf.
But Assistant Attorney General
Robert Mueller III, who heads the
Justice Department's criminal divi-
sion, said yesterday there was no evi-
dence to link the Pan Am bombing to
Iran, Syria or the PFLP-GC.
Yesterday's State Department re-
port on Libya's terrorism role said:
. Libya provides training facili-
ties and several million dollars a
year to tlApproVed Fog Release 2003704/18 WeLAS
which has been connected to 280
WHO DID IT?
Initially, the Pan Am bombing investigation centered on the Syria-backed
terrorist group Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General
Command. Yesterday's indictment against two Libyan intelligence officers
said they acted with "other co-conspirators," but officials said there was no
evidence to link the bombing to Iran, Syria or the PFLP-GC.
Various officials and press reports pointed to this list of characters as
possible suspects during the probe.
Ahmed Jibril: Leader of the Popular Front for the
Liberation of Palestine -- General Command. A
terrorist cell of the PFLP-GC in West Germany was
believed to have carried out bombing. Bomb parts
found in debris around Lockerbie were reportedly
traced to his group.
Mohammed Abu Talb: Identified by a Swedish
court as a suspect in bombing and a member of the
Palestine Popular Struggle Front. Suspected of
purchasing some of the clothing found in the suitcase
on Pam Am Flight 103 in which the bomb was hiden.
Khalid Jaafar: Lebanese American student from
Detroit who was killed in the bombing, was suspected
of unknowingly carried the bomb aboard the plane in a
suitcase. Officials yesterday denied his involvement.
Hafez Dalkomoni: PFLP-GC member and key
aide to Jibril, was arrested in West Germany with 13
other suspected terrorists two months before the Pan
Am incident. U.S. intelligence officials identified him
as being involved in bombing attempts.
Abdullah Senoussi: Brother -in-law of Libyan
leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi and de facto chief of
the Libyan intelligence service, the Jamnahirya
Security Organization, which has been tied to the Pan
Am bombing.
Rafsanjani
Moussa Koussa: Vice minister of Libyan foreign affairs. Identified by
U.S. intelligence officials as a suspect in prior bombing attempts.
Mohammed Naydi: Senior Libyan intelligence official, suspected
because equipment he used in other bombings matched equipment used in
the Pan Am bombing. He was arrested and later released.
Mansour Omran Saber: Libyan intelligence agent and longtime
colleague of Mohammed Naydi. Arrested with Mr. Naydi, and also released.
All Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani: President of Iran who was
identified in early CIA reports as knowing about the Pam Am bombing. He
was commander in chief of the military in the summer of 1988 when the
operation was reportedly commissioned through the Iranian Revolutionary
Guard.
The Washington Times
Abdel Basset Ali Megrahi
Jibril
Lamen Khalifa Fhimah
TRACKING TERRORIST BOMBERS
Chronology of events surrounding bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 on
Dec. 21, 1988.
Nov. 14, 1991 - Two Libyan intelligence officials indicted for planting
bomb that destroyed Flight 103.
Dec. 4, 1990 - Justice Department says a month-long inquiry produced
no evidence that terrorists who blew up Pan Am Flight 103 two years earlier
were unwittingly aided by an undercover U.S. drug investigation.
Nov. 16, 1990 - President Bush signs a bill tightening airport security.
Sept. 11, 1990 -- A British government report into the disaster urges
aircraft firms to make aircraft safer. Families of the victims say they are
dissastisfied with the report because it failed to consider airport security
June 11, 1990 - Justice Department reports "significant progress" in the
investigation but says evidence to bring charges was still "not in hand."
May 15, 1990 +. A presidential commission investigating the bombing
recommends the United States should take military action against
"terrorists" and nations that harbor them.
May 10, 1990 - Pan Am reaches an out-of-court settlement with 250
Scottish families whose relatives were killed or injured in the disaster.
Dec. 15, 1989 -- Scotland's chief law officer announces the first public
inquiry into the bombing, but says criminal prosecution is not imminent
Nov. 17, 1989 - A presidential commission opens hearings in
Washington.
Nov. 4, 1989 - CIA Director William Webster says the United States
hopes to seize the bombers and bring them to trial in the United States
Oct. 30, 1989 - West German officials say investigators found a trail
leading to Malta as the likely source of the bomb and say a Libyan man may
have played a role.
Sept. 11, 1989 - FBI says it believes it identified group responsible for
the bombing.
Aug. 4, 1989 - President Bush announces formation of a
seven-member commission to investigate air terrorism, with particular
emphasis on the Pan Am bombing.
April 12, 1989 -- Investigators say a U.S. citizen was tricked into taking
the bomb on board.
April 3, 1989 - The United States announces new measures to combat
sky terrorism.
March 22, 1989 - A State Department official testifies before Congress
that the United States believes the bombing required aid from a foreign
government because of the complex preparations that had to have been
involved.
Jan. 10, 1989 - British investigators say the bomb was planted in the
aircraft's forward baggage hold.
Dec. 31, 1988 -- Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi says he believes
sabotage caused the crash, but denies Libya, Iran or Syria were
responsible. The father of one victim files the first lawsuit against Pan Am.
Dec. 28, 1988 - Britain's Air Accidents Investigations Branch says the
jet was blown up by a powerful bomb made of plastic explosives. Lawyers
representing families of the victims say they will sue the U.S. government
and Pan Am.
Dec. 23, 1988 - A British official says the government issued no public
warnings about the threat because the information was considered
confidential
Dec. 22, 1988 - British investigators say sabotage was the most likely
cause of the crash. U.S. officials say a threat to blow up a Pan Am flight to
New York originating in Frankfurt, Germany, as Flight 103 had, was made to
U.S. embassies in Europe and major airlines earlier in the month.
Dec. 21, 1988 - Flight 103 is destroyed over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing
all 259 people aboard and 11 on the ground.
Source: Associated Press. Reuters
The Washington Times
deaths in more than 100 terrorist
attacks.
· Col. Gadhafi last year gave more
than $1 million to the PFLP-GC, a
terrorst group responsible for the
· Elements of the Palestine Liber-
ation Front, which has a long history
of terrorist attacks, remain based in
Libya, receiving broad government
support.
. Libya's terrorist support and
JA-ROPA5-00789R6010014500028 traced to the
ommunist Party of the Philippines,
Costa Rica, Peru and Chile.