Whenever an event rocks the world, it doesn't take long for conspiracy theories about it to develop. Some people are questioning whether John F Kennedy was really shot by Lee Harvey Oswald, whether the Americans really landed on the moon and whether Al-Qaeda really was behind the events of September 11, 2001. One of the greatest tragedies of the Eighties is another source for conspiracy theorists and after more than 20 years, it seems that the Pan Am flight 103 air crash investigation will never really draw to a conclusion.
The tragedy took place in 1988, four days before Christmas. A Pan Am flight took off from Heathrow that day and soon after, disintegrated in mid-air. After it was concluded that the cause of the incident was a bomb, it became known as the Lockerbie bombing, after the Scottish town where the plane crashed.
The explosion caused the aircraft to disintegrate. All passengers and crew were killed. However, the disaster was made worse when pieces of the plane fell onto Lockerbie and killed a further 11 people who were living in the town. A total of 270 people died, of which 189 were American. Britain lost 43 of its citizens and other victims came from countries as diverse as Argentina, India, Jamaica and South Africa.
It took three years of hard work for the investigators to pinpoint their suspects, two men from Libya. Another eight years of negotiations followed before the Libyan government handed the men over so that they could stand trial. Only one of the men was found guilty and he was sentenced to life in prison. He appealed his sentence twice, received a compassionate release in 2009 and maintained until his death of cancer that he had been innocent. The Libyan government, however, paid compensation to the families of those who died in the bombing.
Among the many conspiracy theories surrounding the Lockerbie bombing is one that says the CIA was behind it. The theory is that the intelligence agency was running a drug-smuggling operation using planes from Pan Am. The reason for this is that in exchange for their help couriering drugs to the US, they would receive much-needed information on hostages in Syria. Some say that the plane was bombed to stop two agents, who were among the victims, from speaking out.
Maybe a little less far-fetched is the theory that the bomb was used to assassinate the newly appointed UN commissioner to Namibia, who died in the crash too. South Africa was busy negotiating the handing over of Namibia to the control of the UN at the time. Interestingly, South Africa's Minister of Foreign Affairs and members of his delegation were supposed to be on Flight 103 but had changed their plans.
Since 2009, there have been calls for a new, independent investigation into the crash. This process should be overseen by the UN. Online petitions were started and signatories included high-profile figures as well as relatives of some victims. They want an inquiry to find out what really happened, who really was responsible and whether the right man and even the right country had been found guilty of the worst act of terrorism on British soil.
The case hasn't been reopened yet. This doesn't mean it's over, however. Some legal proceedings are still ongoing and therefore the wreckage is still held as evidence. In other words, another Pan Am flight 103 air crash investigation is not entirely impossible in future.
The tragedy took place in 1988, four days before Christmas. A Pan Am flight took off from Heathrow that day and soon after, disintegrated in mid-air. After it was concluded that the cause of the incident was a bomb, it became known as the Lockerbie bombing, after the Scottish town where the plane crashed.
The explosion caused the aircraft to disintegrate. All passengers and crew were killed. However, the disaster was made worse when pieces of the plane fell onto Lockerbie and killed a further 11 people who were living in the town. A total of 270 people died, of which 189 were American. Britain lost 43 of its citizens and other victims came from countries as diverse as Argentina, India, Jamaica and South Africa.
It took three years of hard work for the investigators to pinpoint their suspects, two men from Libya. Another eight years of negotiations followed before the Libyan government handed the men over so that they could stand trial. Only one of the men was found guilty and he was sentenced to life in prison. He appealed his sentence twice, received a compassionate release in 2009 and maintained until his death of cancer that he had been innocent. The Libyan government, however, paid compensation to the families of those who died in the bombing.
Among the many conspiracy theories surrounding the Lockerbie bombing is one that says the CIA was behind it. The theory is that the intelligence agency was running a drug-smuggling operation using planes from Pan Am. The reason for this is that in exchange for their help couriering drugs to the US, they would receive much-needed information on hostages in Syria. Some say that the plane was bombed to stop two agents, who were among the victims, from speaking out.
Maybe a little less far-fetched is the theory that the bomb was used to assassinate the newly appointed UN commissioner to Namibia, who died in the crash too. South Africa was busy negotiating the handing over of Namibia to the control of the UN at the time. Interestingly, South Africa's Minister of Foreign Affairs and members of his delegation were supposed to be on Flight 103 but had changed their plans.
Since 2009, there have been calls for a new, independent investigation into the crash. This process should be overseen by the UN. Online petitions were started and signatories included high-profile figures as well as relatives of some victims. They want an inquiry to find out what really happened, who really was responsible and whether the right man and even the right country had been found guilty of the worst act of terrorism on British soil.
The case hasn't been reopened yet. This doesn't mean it's over, however. Some legal proceedings are still ongoing and therefore the wreckage is still held as evidence. In other words, another Pan Am flight 103 air crash investigation is not entirely impossible in future.
About the Author:
If you would like to learn more about the Pan Am flight 103 air crash investigation, click this link to www.threesistersponds.com. For more info about the revealing book "Three Sisters Ponds by Phil Reid, visit http://www.threesistersponds.com right now.
No comments:
Post a Comment