Computer glitch halts Lockerbie trial

The high-tech courtroom at Camp Zeist

The Lockerbie trial has been hit by a technical fault which has prevented it from resuming at a special court in the Netherlands.

Proceedings have been adjourned until Wednesday by the presiding judge, Lord Sutherland.

The trial was due to resume on Tuesday after a 12-day break to allow the prosecution more time to prepare the next phase of its case against two Libyans suspected of planting a bomb on Pan Am Flight 103.

Trial details

The two accused are Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, 48, and Al Amin Khalifa Fhimah, 44

They deny three charges - murder, conspiracy to murder and a breach of the 1982 Aviation Security Act

The trial is expected to last a year

About 1,000 witnesses are expected to be called

The case is being heard by three Scottish judges

The problem arose with a computerised system which relays notes from the stenographer to screens used by the lawyers.

Lord Sutherland apologised to witnesses and relatives who had turned up for the hearing and described the delay as "regrettable but unavoidable".

The prosecution had asked for more time to question key witnesses, whose evidence is said to be crucial to the allegations linking the two men to the explosion.

Initial proceedings at the specially convened court at Camp Zeist in the Netherlands centred on the events of that night, with evidence from people who witnessed the aftermath of the blast above the tiny Scottish town.

Forensic study

However, prosecution and defence lawyers then agreed that a huge amount of evidence and testimony did not need to be presented to the court.

The three trial judges, sitting without a jury granted leave for the next stage of the trial to be prepared.

The Crown is expected to turn to one of the key chapters of evidence - the forensic study of how they allege the bomb was placed on the jumbo jet causing it to explode.

The court is ringed by armed police

It is understood the court will be shown video images of the reconstruction of the aircraft from debris recovered over a hundred kilometres from Lockerbie.

Expert witnesses will also explain how the bomb was triggered.

The defence has called a number of other experts who dispute the Crown's version of events and the adjournment was granted so prosecution lawyers could fully question them.

The trial has continued to make the headlines during the adjournment.

Dr Jim Swire, a representative of British families of the victims, issued a warning over "trial by media" and warned that speculation over evidence could compromise the trial.

'MI6' man dropped

He was reacting to newspaper reports that the prosecution had doubts over the evidence of an explosives expert.

It also emerged that some relatives who applied for cash from the Lockerbie Air Disaster Fund had been denied cash to attend the trial.

And, on Monday, a former diplomat was dropped from an expert panel on the bombing following allegations that he was an MI6 intelligence officer.

Professor Andrew Fulton was asked to stand down as deputy director of the Lockerbie trial briefing unit at Glasgow University.

He was included on a list of MI6 officers published on the internet last year by a disaffected agent.

The decision to ask him to resign, regardless of the truth or otherwise of the allegations, was said to be based on the risk of publicity overshadowing the unit's work.