Key facts on Lockerbie

Investigation
14 November 1991: A three-year investigation concludes with the Lord Advocate, Scotland's chief law officer, obtaining a warrant for the arrest of two Libyans, Abdel Baset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi and Al-Amin Khalifa Fhimah. The charges against them are conspiracy, murder and contravention of the Aviation Security Act of 1982. An indictment is also issued in the US containing similar accusations.

8 December 1991: A seven year wrangle over the suspects begins when Libya, concerned they would not receive a fair trial in Scotland, refuses to hand the men over. Libya maintains its stance despite the introduction of UN sanctions on air travel and arms sales in April 1992 and a tightening of sanctions in December 1993.

20 April 1998: In a meeting with a representative of Lockerbie victims, Colonel Gaddafi apparently agrees to hand over two suspects for trial by a Scottish judge in a neutral country. Three months later, as several countries defy the UN sanctions, Britain and the United States propose a trial in a third country under Scottish law would be acceptable.

November 1998: Dutch authorities set aside a former air force base for the trial at Camp Zeist near Utrecht. But a key sticking point remains over where the two suspects, if found guilty, would serve their sentences. Libya refuses to allow them to be jailed in Scotland.

The accused
Al-Amin Khalifa Fhimah: 42-years-old, also alleged to to belong to Libyan intelligence and to have been station officer of Libyan Arab Airlines in Malta.

Abdel Baset al-Megrahi: 46-years-old, is alleged to have been a senior officer of the Libyan Intelligence Services. Head of Libyan Arab Airlines security in Malta in December 1988, he is alleged to have bought clothes in a Maltese store that were contained in the suitcase bomb on board flight 103.