Meghan Hughes (202-224-5972) or Kevin Bishop (864-250-1417)

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today wrote to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder encouraging him to increase the pressure on Libyan Muammar Qadhafi by investigating the role Gaddafi played in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. 

Graham noted that last month Mustafa Abdel-Jalil, formerly the Libyan Minister of Justice, claimed to possess proof that Mr. Qadhafi ordered the bombing. 

Graham wrote: 

“I wholly agree with President Obama’s statements that Muammar Qadhafi’s rule in Libya must end.  For four decades, Mr. Qadhafi has ruled over his people as a tyrant.  His actions have resulted in the deaths of thousands of Libyans and endangered people from around the world.  He is not the legitimate leader of Libya and is in fact an international criminal. 

“I write today to urge the investigation of Muammar Qadhafi’s involvement in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.  As Secretary of State Clinton recognized, former members of the Libyan government recently stated that Mr. Qadhafi ordered the bombing of the civilian plane. 

“The bombing of Pan Am flight 103 killed 270 people, including 189 Americans.  The families and loved ones of those killed in the attack deserve justice and a full accounting of those responsible.  I fully support Secretary Clinton’s call for an investigation into Mr. Qadhafi’s involvement in the attack.  Should the claims of Mr. Qadhafi’s involvement prove true, he should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.” 

####

 

To read the final letter, click here.