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| Libya confirms Lockerbie suspects' names | Libya confirms Lockerbie suspects' names |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Libyan government has confirmed the names of two men suspected of being involved in the Lockerbie bombing. | The Libyan government has confirmed the names of two men suspected of being involved in the Lockerbie bombing. |
| US and Scottish prosecutors said they had asked Libya for permission to interview Mohammed Abouajela Masud and Abdullah al-Senussi. | US and Scottish prosecutors said they had asked Libya for permission to interview Mohammed Abouajela Masud and Abdullah al-Senussi. |
| However, a Libyan government spokesman said its attorney general's office had not been officially informed. | However, a Libyan government spokesman said its attorney general's office had not been officially informed. |
| Abdelbaset al-Megrahi is the only person to have been convicted over the bombing of Pan Am 103 flight in 1988. | Abdelbaset al-Megrahi is the only person to have been convicted over the bombing of Pan Am 103 flight in 1988. |
| The plane was on its way from London to New York on 21 December when it exploded above Lockerbie. | The plane was on its way from London to New York on 21 December when it exploded above Lockerbie. |
| A total of 270 people died in the atrocity, including everyone on board the plane and 11 people from the Scottish town. | A total of 270 people died in the atrocity, including everyone on board the plane and 11 people from the Scottish town. |
| Megrahi, who was found guilty of mass murder and jailed for a minimum of 27 years, died in 2012 after being released from jail on compassionate grounds in 2009. He had terminal cancer. | Megrahi, who was found guilty of mass murder and jailed for a minimum of 27 years, died in 2012 after being released from jail on compassionate grounds in 2009. He had terminal cancer. |
| Neither of the suspects are in the hands of the recognised government based in Tobruk but are being held by the Islamist-backed administration based in Tripoli. | Neither of the suspects are in the hands of the recognised government based in Tobruk but are being held by the Islamist-backed administration based in Tripoli. |
| Relatives of some of those killed in the bombing welcomed the naming of two new suspects. | Relatives of some of those killed in the bombing welcomed the naming of two new suspects. |
| Analysis by Rana Jawad, North Africa correspondent | Analysis by Rana Jawad, North Africa correspondent |
| Abdullah El Senussi is being held in Al-Hadba prison in Tripoli, but Masud's incarceration is less clear. | Abdullah El Senussi is being held in Al-Hadba prison in Tripoli, but Masud's incarceration is less clear. |
| He is serving a 10-year sentence but there are conflicting claims over whether he is doing so in Tripoli or in a prison in Misrata. | He is serving a 10-year sentence but there are conflicting claims over whether he is doing so in Tripoli or in a prison in Misrata. |
| The office of Tripoli's general prosecutor was less than forthcoming in divulging any information when it was contacted following the Crown Office announcement about the new suspects. | |
| It is highly unlikely that any government in Libya would agree to any extradition request from the US or Scottish authorities to interview the two men. | It is highly unlikely that any government in Libya would agree to any extradition request from the US or Scottish authorities to interview the two men. |
| Abdullah Al-Senussi in particular (unlike his shadowy co-suspect) is not an ordinary figure; he is and will forever remain Gaddafi's black box on every crime, atrocity, and back-door dealings that Libya was allegedly involved in during his time in power. | Abdullah Al-Senussi in particular (unlike his shadowy co-suspect) is not an ordinary figure; he is and will forever remain Gaddafi's black box on every crime, atrocity, and back-door dealings that Libya was allegedly involved in during his time in power. |
| There was always suspicion in Libya that the West wanted to get his hands on him specifically for that reason, and would subsequently never return him. | There was always suspicion in Libya that the West wanted to get his hands on him specifically for that reason, and would subsequently never return him. |
| Investigators would have a better chance trying to interview the men on Libyan soil, a prospect that is complicated given the fact that there are no Western diplomatic missions operating in Libya and no government in Tripoli that the international community recognises. | Investigators would have a better chance trying to interview the men on Libyan soil, a prospect that is complicated given the fact that there are no Western diplomatic missions operating in Libya and no government in Tripoli that the international community recognises. |
| Stephanie Bernstein, whose husband was among those who was killed in the attack, said she was "surprised, delighted and really gratified" by the news. | Stephanie Bernstein, whose husband was among those who was killed in the attack, said she was "surprised, delighted and really gratified" by the news. |
| "There are many, many people who I hope are not sleeping so well tonight knowing that the Scottish government and the US government are committed to pursuing this case," she said. | "There are many, many people who I hope are not sleeping so well tonight knowing that the Scottish government and the US government are committed to pursuing this case," she said. |
| But Jim Swire, whose daughter died, said any prosecution would "need to be supported by very much better evidence" than that used against Megrahi. | But Jim Swire, whose daughter died, said any prosecution would "need to be supported by very much better evidence" than that used against Megrahi. |
| Frank Duggan, president of Pan Am 103 Relatives, said he was not confident there would be further prosecutions. | Frank Duggan, president of Pan Am 103 Relatives, said he was not confident there would be further prosecutions. |
| "It's been 26 years. It's too long, people are dead, stories have been forgotten," he said. | "It's been 26 years. It's too long, people are dead, stories have been forgotten," he said. |
| "I'd like to think that it will be one small measure of closure but I don't expect the kind of justice that we all hope for." | "I'd like to think that it will be one small measure of closure but I don't expect the kind of justice that we all hope for." |
| Both of the newly identified suspects are currently serving prison sentences in Libya, which is in chaos as rival factions fight for control of the country. | Both of the newly identified suspects are currently serving prison sentences in Libya, which is in chaos as rival factions fight for control of the country. |
| Senussi, who is currently awaiting execution in a Libyan jail, was the brother-in-law and intelligence chief of former Libyan dictator Colonel Gaddafi. | Senussi, who is currently awaiting execution in a Libyan jail, was the brother-in-law and intelligence chief of former Libyan dictator Colonel Gaddafi. |
| Masud is reported to be serving a prison sentence for bomb making. | Masud is reported to be serving a prison sentence for bomb making. |
| Lockerbie bombing: Key dates | Lockerbie bombing: Key dates |
| Key developments in Lockerbie bombing case | Key developments in Lockerbie bombing case |
| Both men were named as possible suspects by an American TV documentary last month. | Both men were named as possible suspects by an American TV documentary last month. |
| Documentary maker Ken Dornstein's brother David died in the Lockerbie bombing. | Documentary maker Ken Dornstein's brother David died in the Lockerbie bombing. |
| He told the BBC's Today programme: "We went in with a list of names that had come from the original investigation, pulled out of the tens of thousands of pages of documents. I established many were dead or missing. Ultimately, I concluded there may be three people left." | He told the BBC's Today programme: "We went in with a list of names that had come from the original investigation, pulled out of the tens of thousands of pages of documents. I established many were dead or missing. Ultimately, I concluded there may be three people left." |
| On Masud, Mr Dornstein added: "Figuring out simply that he existed would solve many of the unanswered questions to the bombing because he was attached to Megrahi according to the best information there was, including at the airport in Malta on the day that the bomb was said to have been infiltrated into the baggage system and ultimately on to Flight 103." | On Masud, Mr Dornstein added: "Figuring out simply that he existed would solve many of the unanswered questions to the bombing because he was attached to Megrahi according to the best information there was, including at the airport in Malta on the day that the bomb was said to have been infiltrated into the baggage system and ultimately on to Flight 103." |
| Megrahi's part in the bombing has been called into question in a series of books and documentaries. | Megrahi's part in the bombing has been called into question in a series of books and documentaries. |