Lockerbie appeal verdict date set

The judges will give their decision on 14 March

The verdict in the appeal by the man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing will be delivered on Thursday 14 March, it has been announced.

During the 14-day appeal, the five judges were urged by the defence team for Abdelbaset ali Mohmed al-Megrahi to declare his conviction a "miscarriage of justice".

Al-Megrahi was convicted in January 2001 of the murders of 270 people after Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over the Scottish town of Lockerbie in December 1988.

Al-Megrahi: Convicted in January 2001

The judges, headed by the Lord Justice General Lord Cullen, will deliver their ruling at 1100 (1000 GMT), exactly a month to the day after retiring to consider the evidence.

The hearing was held in a specially-convened Scottish court at Camp Zeist in the Netherlands.

On the last day of the appeal, lawyers for Abdelbaset ali Mohmed al-Megrahi told the judges that doubt had been cast on the verdict.

Bill Taylor, QC, defending al-Megrahi, said new evidence presented to the appeal pointed to a miscarriage of justice.

'Weak and flawed'

Mr Taylor said the new evidence raised the possibility that the bomb which exploded on Pan Am Flight 103, had been placed on the aircraft at Heathrow and not in Malta, as the trial judges had concluded.

He said it was regrettable that evidence made available at the appeal at Camp Zeist had not been disclosed at the trial.

Prosecution lawyers urged the judges to reject the appeal.

Alan Turnbull QC said the new evidence was weak and flawed, and did not affect the original case.