The abduction of a former Libyan intelligence operative accused of preparing the bomb that brought down Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988 and his transfer into US custody was agreed about three months ago after conversations between US government and Libyan officials, British newspaper the Guardian reported on Tuesday. The officials said Trump administration officials had been in discussions with local authorities about bringing Masud to the US to stand trial since 2019, and that these “conversations” had continued under President Joe Biden. Until six months ago, Masud was serving a 10-year sentence for crimes committed as an intelligence operative under the regime of Muammar Gaddafi, who was ousted in 2011. After being abducted, Masud was transferred to a heavily armed paramilitary unit called the Joint Force in the port city of Misurata. The Guardian reported that only a small number of senior officials in Washington, mainly in the ministry of justice and the state department, were aware of the fate planned for Masud, though the CIA and the White House are thought to have been notified.

Source: Libya Today December 13, 2022 23:42 UTC