Lockerbie case review discussed

Police said it was "good practice" to review the case on a regular basis

Senior Dumfries and Galloway police officers have met Crown Office officials to discuss their review of evidence in the Lockerbie bombing case.

They are trying to establish whether they can build a case against others involved in the conspiracy.

Abdelbasset Ali al-Megrahi is the only man convicted of the atrocity which killed 270 people in 1988.

The Libyan, who is terminally ill, was released from prison on compassionate grounds earlier this year.

Dumfries and Galloway's Chief Constable Pat Shearer said reviews of evidence had been carried out throughout the Lockerbie inquiry.

He confirmed that a further review had been started after Megrahi dropped his appeal against conviction before being returned to Libya.

'Take stock'

Mr Shearer added: "As is the case in all major police investigations that remain open, good practice dictates that the evidence is reviewed at regular intervals.

"Recent events in the case simply bring about an appropriate time to take stock of all of the evidence gathered to establish if any new investigative opportunities exist.

"It would not be appropriate for me to discuss the review in any further detail but I would like to emphasise this is not a relaunch of the police investigation."

Families of the victims of the bombing have welcomed moves by police in Scotland to pursue "several potential lines of inquiry".

However, they have also renewed calls for a public inquiry into the 1988 tragedy.