Warning of media risk to Lockerbie disaster prosecution

Lord Fraser of Carmyllie, the Lord Advocate said yesterday when he

called for restraint in reporting the Lockerbie criminal investigation.

He disclosed in a statement that reports about unaccompanied luggage

having gone from Malta to Frankfurt ''let alone unaccompanied baggage

with a bomb in it'' could not be substantiated by the Scottish police

officer leading the inquiry.

Lord Fraser said in Edinburgh that he was deeply concerned and

disturbed that reporting could reach a point which seriously jeopardised

not only the international investigation but also any future court

proceedings.

''It must be kept in mind that this is the largest mass murder

investigation in recent times in Britain and it is incumbent upon us all

to exercise restraint in the interests of justice,'' he said.

''We all owe it to the 270 victims who perished as a result of the

bombing of PanAm 103 and, just as importantly, the bereaved relatives,

that the perpetrators are brought to justice,'' he said.

''It is most important that this is not lost sight of, as speculative

reporting causes dismay and distress to them.''

Lord Fraser's call follows intense reporting of the matter in recent

days on both sides of the Atlantic.

He said that he had frequently made it clear that his prime concern,

indeed his only concern, was the integrity of the investigation, which

he said was being very methodically and skilfully conducted by the

Lockerbie team under the direction of the chief constable.

''The purpose of the investigation is not simply to establish that

there was a web of opportunity for those determined to commit this

appalling terrorist outrage and assault on the sovereignty of the United

States, but to identify those who did it and how they did so to a

standard of proof to satisfy a criminal court,'' he said.

''As Lord Advocate, I have to say our essential purpose is put at risk

if premature disclosure shuts off lines of enquiry or puts potential

witnesses under threat,'' he stated.

Lord Fraser said that he had also noted considerable ''ill-informed

and inaccurate speculation'' in relation to the Federal German Police

and other international agencies.

''I want to make it quite clear that the degree of international

co-operation in this case has been unprecedented and we would certainly

not have reached the stage we are at had this not been the case,'' he

said.

''The Chief Constable of Dumfries and Galloway, Mr George Esson, has

told me that he cannot substantiate reports about unaccompanied luggage

having gone from Malta to Frankfurt let alone unaccompanied baggage with

a bomb in it,'' Lord Fraser said.