Service remembers Lockerbie victims

Wreaths have been laid by the families of the victims of the Lockerbie bombing on the 25th anniversary of the atrocity.

A memorial service has taken place in the town in southern Scotland, attended by politicians, officials, families and members of the community.

Services will also take place in London and in the United States, where most of the 270 victims were from.

Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond and Lord Wallace, Advocate General for Scotland, were among those who took part in the memorial service and wreath-laying ceremony at Dryfesdale Cemetery.

The service was led by the Rev John MacLeod, while readings and prayers were given by Major Kingsley Layton, commanding officer at Lockerbie Corps, the Salvation Army, and Lord Lieutenant Jean Tulloch, representing the Queen.

US government representative Craig Lynes said: “We gather today to remember each of the lives that were lost in this tragic event of December 21, 1988.

“Families, friends, it is you who bear the heaviest of hearts. While our words can do little to repair the damage caused by this act of terrorism, we offer them with hope.

“We offer these words as a tribute to the 270 lives that were cut short that evening, we offer them as a way to help carry their lives forward as we continue ours.

“Your ability to move on from this incident to create your own families, yet remember the loved ones lost, is an encouragement to those who witness your tenacity.

“The comfort and reassurance you have given each other over the years is an inspiration to anyone who has known such loss.

“From the callous and the cowardly acts committed throughout history by those who attempt to strike terror in our hearts and minds, comes the resolve and strength to continue to fight and prevent organisations and individuals from committing such atrocities.

“We stand together united in our search for justice.”

Mr Salmond said: “On this 25-year anniversary, and as the country prepares once more to relive the harrowing events of that terrible night, it is important that we remember that the pain and suffering of the families and friends of those who died has endured since that winter night in 1988.”

Prime Minister David Cameron said: “To families, friends, neighbours, loved ones and all those caught up in the painful process of recovery, let us say to them: our admiration for you is unconditional; for the fortitude and resilience you have shown; for your determination never to give up. You have shown that terrorist acts cannot crush the human spirit. That is why terrorism will never prevail.

“And even in the darkest moments of grief, it is possible to glimpse the flickering flame of hope.”

Pan Am flight 103 was on its way from London to New York when it exploded above Lockerbie, in southern Scotland, on the evening of December 21 1988, killing everyone on board and 11 people on the ground. Only one man, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, was convicted of the bombing. He was found guilty in January 2001 and given a life sentence. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008, leading to a decision to free him under compassionate release rules.

Mr MacAskill took that decision on August 20 the following year, sparking a row among politicians on both sides of the Atlantic.

Megrahi died in Tripoli, Libya in May last year.

Despite the guilty verdict and Megrahi’s decision to drop a subsequent appeal against conviction, politicians, campaigners and families of victims are still dealing with the impact, with some of the British relatives considering another appeal against his conviction when they meet with lawyers in the new year.