U.S persecutors say Lockerbie plane bombing suspect will not face death penalty
A man, Abu Masud, accused of making the bomb that downed Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, 34 years ago was told he would not face the death penalty as he appeared in a US court.
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The US alleges that Abu Agila Masud was a Libyan intelligence operative and played a key role in the 1988 attack, which left 270 people dead. Scottish and US officials announced on Sunday that Masud was in US custody.
He is the first person charged on US soil in connection with the attack. A device on board the Boeing 747 exploded as the flight was flying over the English-Scottish border, killing 243 passengers, six crew and 11 local residents on the ground – including a family of four.
Each of the charges he faces include a possible sentence of life in prison, the death penalty or a fine of up to $250,000 (£203,000). But US prosecutors told the court they would not seek death, as they believe the punishment was not legally available at the time of his alleged crime.
