BUFFALO, N.Y. — After more than 30 years, a Libyan intelligence official is in custody for being suspected of making the bomb that blew up a plane over the Scottish town of Lockerbie in 1988.
The arrest of Abu Agila Mohammad Mas'ud Kheir Al-Marimi is a milestone in the decades-old investigation into the attack that killed 259 people in the air and 11 on the ground. American authorities in December 2020 announced charges against Mas'ud, who was in Libyan custody at the time.
A Hamburg native, Colleen Brunner, was on board, returning home for Christmas after studying abroad in London.
A University at Buffalo student, Greg Capasso, was also killed in the crash along with 35 students from Syracuse University.
Though he is the third Libyan intelligence official charged in the United States in connection with the attack, he would be the first to appear in an American courtroom for prosecution. Two other Libyans were tried in the Netherlands through the Scottish court system. One was acquitted but the other identified as Abdel Bassett Ali al - Megrahi was convicted and imprisoned. But the victims' families were upset when he was released in 2009 back to his home in Libya by Scottish officials after he was diagnosed with cancer. He later died in 2012.
The New York-bound Pan Am flight exploded over Lockerbie less than an hour after takeoff from London on Dec. 21, 1988. Citizens from 21 different countries were killed, including 190 Americans.
The bombing laid bare the threat of international terrorism more than a decade before the September 11 attacks. It produced global investigations and punishing sanctions while spurring demands for accountability from victims of those killed.
Syracuse University's current chancellor, Kent Syverud, said in a statement that the arrest was a significant development in the long process “to bring those responsible for this despicable act to justice.”
The Brunner family released this statement to Channel 2 Monday:
"We would like to thank everyone for their heartfelt thoughts and prayers at this time. Even after 34 years, the pain of our loss has not diminished. Our Family sends prayers to the 270 Families and their friends. We are grateful that the United States and the Scottish governments have continued the ongoing investigation of the bombing of Pan Am 103. We are relieved that Mas’ud has been arrested and will face justice in the United States."
Former Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster clearly remembers that terrible night as a then 34 year old watch officer working at the US State Department operations center in Washington, DC. He saw the images on the center's monitors and computers of the Lockerbie crash scene through various media sources and US intelligence equipment and assets. Dyster says "It was obvious because there was clothing scattered in the tree tops. I'll never forget those images. It was a very stark, winter landscape. Bare trees with no leaves on them. But there was clothing hanging from the tree branches. And I can remember thinking to myself at the time, it seems like there's an awful lot of orange. And we didn't know yet but I found out within minutes, there were 35 students from Syracuse University that were on the plane, Which I think why they wanted me to be part of the response team because I had connections with Western and Central New York."
Dyster was assigned to help handle a flood of calls which came into the DC center. " Calls were being directed to us from school officials, company officials, where companies had people on business travel on board the flight. And of course the family and friends of people that were on Pan Am 103 - desperately looking for answers and looking for any hope that their loved ones might still be alive."
And now that this new suspect may be brought to trial here in the US, Dyster says "Maybe that is going to reveal other individuals who were involved in this plot that may yet be brought to justice. Hopefully it helps to bring closure to the families."