Families of Lockerbie victims in the US and UK remain divided over who is to responsible for the bombing 25 years on from the atrocity.
Many British families believe Libyan Abdelbaset al Megrahi, the only man convicted of the crime, was innocent. Across the Atlantic, some UK relatives have been condemned for believing “conspiracy theories”.
Dr Jim Swire, father of victim Flora Swire, said: “Our governments, British and American, keep on trying to get us to believe something that’s clearly not true.
“We now know beyond doubt that Megrahi was not involved in any way and there’s no evidence that Libya was ever involved.The real perpetrators were not Libyans, and they brought the bomb on board not in Malta but in Heathrow.”
Martin Cadman from Norfolk, who lost his son Bill, claims that he was told by a member of a US presidential commission on aviation security that the British and US governments “know exactly whathappened but they are never going to tell”.
Former US Government politician Frank Duggan served on the commission, and is currently president, pro bono adviser and attorney of the Victims of Pan Am Flight 103 group.
He said: “I was on that presidential commission and we offered to show Cadman pictures of the people to tell us who said it, but he wouldn’t do it.”
Bob Monetti from New Jersey, who lost son Rick, believes the UK families are “so enamoured with being in the press that it has clouded their vision”.
Dr Swire said he does not blame the US families for their views as they had been “indoctrinated” by the US government during Megrahi’s trial in the Netherlands.
The UK-based group Justice for Megrahi wants a new independent inquiry into Megrahi’s conviction and has lodged a petition with the Scottish Parliament’s justice committee.
On Saturday, remembrance ceremonies will be held at Westminster Abbey and Lockerbie as well as at the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.