American authorities in December 2020 announced charges against Mas'ud, who was in Libyan custody at the time. Though he is the third Libyan intelligence official charged in the US in connection with the attack, he would be the first to appear in an American courtroom for prosecution. The New York-bound Pan Am flight exploded over Lockerbie less than an hour after takeoff from London on December 21, 1988. He also said the operation was ordered by Libyan intelligence and that Gadhafi thanked him and other members of the team after the attack, according to an FBI affidavit filed in the case. That affidavit said Mas'ud told Libyan law enforcement that he flew to Malta to meet al-Megrahi and Fhimah.

Source: Libya Today December 12, 2022 09:58 UTC