Lockerbie‑victim Al Fhimah dies at 70 – cleared trial raises new questions

Sun Sep 06 2026 01:38:01 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Former Libyan accused of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, cleared at trial, dies aged 70. New evidence reignites debate over his innocence.

Al Amin Khalifah Fhimah, a Libyan that was tried and acquitted in the Lockerbie bombing case, died at 70. Despite his clearance, new claims from a co‑accused suggest he may have had a role. Libyan Airlines announced his death and the country’s late dictator, Gaddafi, welcomed him home. No further legal action is likely given political complexities, and his funeral in Tripoli closes a decades‑long mystery.

Libyan cleared after Lockerbie trial dies aged 70

Al Amin Khalifah Fhimah was accused of one of the deadliest aviation attacks in history – the 1988 Lockerbie bombing that killed 270 people. He was tried in a Scottish court stationed in the Netherlands in 2001 and found NOT GUILTY. The case also convicted another Libyan, Abdulbasset Al Megrahi.

News of Fhimah’s death surfaced when Libyan Airlines posted a Facebook message. He had been welcomed back to Libya by the former dictator, Muammar Gaddafi, and his funeral is set for Wednesday in Tripoli.

Despite his acquittal, the case remains a flashpoint. In 2022, FBI documents suggested new evidence – a confession by a co‑accused soldier, Al‑Marimi – could implicate Fhimah again. However, the US and Scottish prosecutors said pursuing a second trial would be legally difficult and politically sensitive under the Double Jeopardy (Scotland) Act 2011.

As the dead viadt’s story continues to unfold, Fhimah’s passing marks the end of a long‑standing mystery that still sparks debate and speculation worldwide.