Posted on 12/21/2005 6:57:27 AM PST by Pyro7480
Pan Am Flight 103 was blown up as it flew over Lockerbie, Scotland, on December 21, 1988, when 12–16 oz of plastic explosive was detonated in its forward cargo hold, triggering a sequence of events that led to the rapid destruction of the aircraft. Winds of 100 knots scattered passengers and debris along an 88-mile corridor over an area of 845 square miles. Two hundred and seventy people from 21 countries died, including 11 people on the ground.
Known as the Lockerbie bombing and the Lockerbie air disaster in Britain, it became the subject of that country's largest criminal inquiry, led by its smallest police force. It was widely regarded as an assault on a symbol of the United States, and with 189 of the victims American, it stood as the deadliest attack on American civilians until September 11, 2001.
After a three-year joint investigation by the Scottish Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, during which 15,000 witness statements were taken, indictments for murder were issued on November 13, 1991, against Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi, a Libyan intelligence officer and the head of security for Libyan Arab Airlines (LAA), and Lamin Khalifah Fhimah, the LAA station manager in Luqa airport, Malta.
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My brothers college classmate at Syracuse University, also from our hometown, was supposed to be on that flight but woke up late and hungover and missed his flight.
Just concidentally 5 months after the USS Vincennes downed an Iranian airliner full of holiday passengers, which entered a Persian Gulf war zone and refused to respond to queries, resulting in 290 dead.
Iran has never been tagged with this PanAm Christmas massacre as a tit-for-tat revenge attack carried out by the IRGC mullahs' toadie hired guns, Muammar Qadaffi's intelligence service.
Not that I know anything...Just sayin'
That is one of the popular alternative theories in the bombing. I wouldn't be surprised if it were later revealed that this was a multi-terrorist state/multi-terrorist organization job.
Let's just say Libya owed Iran a BIG favor, based on events that occurred during the war with Chad.
One of my co-workers died on that flight. Terrorism became personal for me on that day.
I have never forgotten or forgiven.
I hope one day justice will be served and Satan has set aside a special place in hell for Gadaffi and his minions.
It was the first time a center fuel tank went up . Yes?
An MP from my post in Hanau, Germany died on that flight.
My buddy, an MP in his unit, escorted the remains back to his family.
Could it be that he was saved by old Jack Daniels?
I've never hear such a "theory" for this attack.
I did a lot of research on this for my second novel, "Art & Part" and my own 'conclusion' was it was, as you suggest, Iran initiated and sponsored.
Like so much else.
ping
I never heard any public/official speculation about Iran being involved in PanAm 103 but it was SO convenient and obvious....unlike assuming sponsorship solely by Qadaffi, who had been thoroughly slapped down by Reagan.
I guess back in 1988 and into the 1990's, it was "PC" by our State Dept to tip toe around Iran, figure the actions of a few hardline mullahs shouldn't be reacted to or even mentioned by us because it would jeopardize or embarrass the Iranian "moderates" who were going to take control the Iranian govt...any day now...any day now...
Geez, it's 2005 and we're STILL waiting for the "Iranian moderates" to take over and making excuses, aren't we? And those hardline mullahs are going to have nukes shortly. The IRGC is already in charge of the program.
Is your book published? We could have collaborated!
My friend Gigi (another young expat American in Switzerland, where i lived then) lost a dear college buddy on that flight. I was with her as she mourned. Within 4 years, she herself was killed, hit by a truck on the streets of Manhattan.
Actually, that was a major alternative theory held by many. And pushed by the defense at the trial. As misdirection if nothing else. Since Scottish Law allows for a defense of "somebody else did it" with no burden of proving or saying who. Sort of a generic or composite raising of a "reasonable doubt".
Is your book published?
Yes, it is.
We could have collaborated!
There's always the chance of a sequel.
(Sorry to take so long to respond. I posted then got called away.)
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