Lockerbie bomber lodges appeal

The bombing happened in 1988 and killed 270 people

Lawyers acting for Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi have lodged the grounds for his appeal against conviction.

The move came just two days before the deadline for submitting the full grounds to the Court of Appeal.

They should have been lodged within six weeks of the bomber's conviction in January but Al Megrahi's legal team applied for, and were granted, two extensions of six weeks each.

A Crown Office spokeswoman, on Monday, confirmed the appeal grounds had been submitted to the Court of Appeal.

Al Megrahi was convicted in January

It is unlikely that the grounds for appeal will be made public at this stage.

A judge sitting in chambers will now decide if the grounds warrant an appeal against conviction.

Assuming Al Megrahi's appeal goes ahead, the hearing will take place before five judges at Camp Zeist in Holland.

Libyan Al Megrahi was jailed for life after being convicted by three Scottish judges of bombing Pan Am Flight 103 in 1988.