As the second episode of Lockerbie: A Search For Truth begins, it is May 1990 or a year and five months since the explosion. Jim Swire (Colin Firth) is working on a makeshift bomb when he receives a call saying Thatcher has ordered an independent inquiry into the Strangeways Prison riot. Jim finishes with the cassette player before stuffing it into a suitcase. He arrives at the airport moments later. He learns they are doing security spot checks on luggage. A female officer checks Jim’s luggage and doesn’t do anything about the radio. Jane Swire (Catherine McCormack) tells Cathy Swire (Jemma Carlton) about the painting which was painted by the father of Flora’s boyfriend. Cathy wonders if they have enough reminders around the home. She says that’s not Flora. Jane has a nightmare about Jim being blown up on a plane.

Cathy pleads with her to go and speak to someone. Jim retrieves his luggage and walks out without any issues. Bert Ammerman (Simon Delany) is waiting for him. Bert says everyone is excited to meet him in person. Jim shows everyone the makeshift bomb he made. He explains he used marzipan instead of Semtex. Susan Cohen (Jenny Galloway) asks if he’s out of his mind. Jim explains to Susan and Dan Cohen (Michael S Siegel) why he did what he just did. He insists he wanted it to be impossible for him to do this. It wasn’t and people need to know. William Swire (Harry Redding) is hounded by the press asking about the fake bomb. When he goes inside, Jane claims she didn’t know about this. Cecil Parkinson (Roger Barclay) says they will be speaking to Jim Swire when he returns to the UK. Jim eventually makes it home. He tells Jane he was given a verbal warning and told not to do it again. Jane complains about being kept in the dark. Jim admits this was all of his own doing.

He just wanted to make some noise. Jim knows he should’ve told her, but he says it’s all for Flora. Jane asks him to be with his family. At the Isle of Skye in Scotland, Jim hangs out with Jane and the others. They race and watch home videos. Later, they drop off flowers at Flora’s gravesite. At a pub, Jim sees a news report about Lockerbie. He learns that warrants have been obtained for the arrests of two Libyan nationals. The accused include Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi and Al Amin Khalifa Fhimah. Will believes they’ve got them. In Tripoli, Libya, Megrahi (Ardalan Esmaili) goes home. Aisha (Selwa Jghalef) asks what is up with him. She finds out what is going on when she sees a news report about the bombing. Jim begins taking down all of the newspaper clippings on his wall. Instead, he begins focusing on the accused men. During a meeting with the others, Jim says the bomb was hiding in a Toshiba BomBeat radio-cassette recorder.

It was hidden among clothing inside a brown Samsonite suitcase. Blast-charred fragments of clothing and a suitcase were found by search teams and were examined by the Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment. A baggage record from Frankfurt was turned over to Scottish police. It flagged one unattended piece of luggage that was destined for Pan Am 103. It has originated in Malta. A pair of Yorkie trousers was found and traced to a clothing manufacturer in Malta. That led authorities to Mary’s House also in Malta. Mary’s House is owned by the Gauci family. Tony Gauci has positively identified one of the suspects, Megrahi to Scottish police. He claims Megrahi was the man he sold the clothing to on December 7, 1988. In one of the shirts, they found a tiny piece of electronic circuit board. It is central to the Crown’s prosecution case. British and American forensic experts agree it is part of the timer attached to the bomb’s detonator. It was made by a Swiss firm based in Zurich called MEBO which is owned by Edwin Bollier and Erwin Meister.

MEBO supplied 20 of the timers exclusively to Libya. Megrahi established a front company under the name ABH used for Libyan intelligence operations. This business is established in the same office building as MEBO. Jim begins telling everyone about the two suspects who live in Tripoli. Both are supposedly Libyan intelligence agents. Megrahi owns a second passport given to him by the Libyan Intelligence Agency. The men worked for the Libyan-Arab airlines. Megrahi was Head of Airline Security until 1986. Fhimah was a Station Manager at Malta airport until 1988. Police believe the bomb was put onto the plane at Malta Airport using Fhimah’s old security pass to gain airside access. The unaccompanied baggage was allowed on board. That’s how they were able to get the bomb straight through customs and bypass airport security. Murray Guthrie (Sam Troughton) calls Jim later to talk to him about the suspect shifting from Iran to Libya.

Jim says the indictment proves the evidence against them is pretty damning. Murray says he heard a rumor that President Bush phoned Thatcher and asked her to lay off Iran. A year later, Iraq invaded Kuwait. Murray doubts Gaddafi is going to let the West destroy Libya. Video footage talks about the West attacking Libya and acts of terrorism. Nabil Nagameldin (Youssef Kerkour) approaches Jim outside his house. Nabil explains he works for the Al-Ahram newspaper in Cairo. He wants Jim to know that Gaddafi will never release the two suspects. Gaddafi loves nothing more than thumbing his nose at the West, but he knows he must assuage the other Middle Eastern and African countries. There are rumors they will be tried in Libya. Jim says it is imperative that these men stand trial in Scotland. Nabil offers to take him to Libya to meet with Colonel Gaddafi. He will write the article and interview Jim after the meeting. Nabil believes that will convince Gaddafi because Jim is known and admired in the Middle East.

The UN Security Council will meet in New York next month to discuss Resolution 731 compelling Libya to hand over the two suspects. Gaddafi will not comply. As a result, sanctions will be imposed. Once that happens, Libya will become even more of a parish state and Gaddafi’s position will harden. Jim speaks to Jane and Will about the offer. Will worries that Jim will be taken hostage if he goes to Libya. Later, Jim speaks to Murray about Colonel Gaddafi. Jim believes he has to do this. He’s holding the families will support the idea. Murray warns Jim to make sure the families don’t say anything to anyone. He believes Thatcher’s government will be watching his every move. Jim asks if they’ll try to stop him. Murray believes they might. He reminds Jim that he’s no good to anyone dead. Jim and Jane come up with a code so he can call her and tell her whether everything is okay. Once they go to the palace, Jim asks Nabil about a picture nearby.

He learns it’s the 1986 attack when Reagen ordered the bombing of Tripoli. Gaddafi’s adoptive daughter, Hannah, was killed instantly. Nabil waits for Jim. Before long, Jim is surrounded by guards and Colonel Gaddafi (Nabil Alraee) sits in front of him. Jim explains the families want to see justice done. Gaddafi asks how justice will be done. He believes the West has already convicted them. Jim admits that’s not justice. He shows Gaddafi some photos of his daughter Flora. Jim asks that the two men accused of the crime be made to stand trial. He assures Gaddafi that they will be treated fairly. Gaddafi questions when Libya has ever been treated fairly. He claims his country is being bullied into complying. Gaddafi points out that the American pilot who dropped a missile on his home never stood trial. He says the meeting is over. Jim says they both lost their daughters. He asks Gaddafi father to father. Jim insists this is not about revenge. He puts one of the buttons on Gaddafi and says the truth must be known.

Jim says he only wants to know who killed his daughter. Gaddafi and his guards leave. A news report says Jim is being criticized for meeting with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. Pamela Dix (Pauline Goldsmith) says she’s angry because the British perception of Jim Swire is that he speaks for all of them. Bert says his heart was in the right place although he left his brain at home. John Mosey says they’re glad to have someone like Jim who is active, committed, and dedicated. He believes it will cost Jim a great deal. Megrahi tells Aisha he has to do an interview because it’s what Gaddafi wanted. Pierre Salinger with ABC News introduces himself. Megrahi is asked about traveling with a special suitcase from Tripoli to Malta Airport on December 20, 1988. Megrahi says he carries a clothing case whenever he goes to Malta. Mr. Fhimah is asked about keeping a diary. Pierre asks about writing a reminder to take some Air Malta baggage tags that get bags unaccompanied from the airport.

Fhimah believes he could tell them why if he could look at his diary. Megrahi is asked about going to Malta on a false passport and using a false name. He says he was there and his family knows he was there. Pierre asks Megrahi about staying at the Holiday Inn on the night of the bombing. Megrahi is adamant he was in Tripoli at the time. After the interview, Aisha asks him why he said he was home that night when he was in Benghazi. Aisha suggests it was another lie and another secret trip. She knows he was in Malta that night. Megrahi tells her she shouldn’t ask those kinds of questions. Nabil calls Jim to tell him the UN Security Council passed the resolution and Gaddafi is refusing to release the suspects. President Bill Clinton called the bombing an attack on America. Tony Blair says it’s unacceptable to claim justice in Scotland is not fair. Professor Robert Black (John Wark) says he will try one more proposal. Jim meets Professor Black who says they’re proposing the trial be held in a neutral country.

They’re proposing a panel of Scottish judges. They’re making legal history because nothing like this has ever been done before. The US and UK don’t want to be seen as making concessions to Gaddafi. Meanwhile, Gaddafi wants the Arab world to see him standing up to the imperialist dogs of the West. Behind closed doors, both sides are desperate to agree. Black is worried Gaddafi will walk away whether his country collapses or not. Jim thinks he can help since he has Gaddafi on speed dial. He explains that’s the last trace of his sense of humor. Jim thinks they should visit Gaddafi. Moments later, Gaddafi meets Jim and Robert Black. Robert believes the tide is turning. He notes that the Arab League has signaled their displeasure at the current sanctions. The world wants to trial to happen, but they’re not expecting Gaddafi to take the lead. Black suggests he can keep his reputation intact and send the suspects.

They will have no choice but to lift the sanctions. Jim thinks it would be a victory for Gaddafi and his country. The Libyan government agrees to let the suspects be tried in neutral territory under Scottish law. The trial will be held at a former airbase in the Netherlands. Jane wants Jim to promise this is the end of it after the trial. At the Valkenburg Airbase, the suspects are cuffed and bags are put over their heads. Jim promises Jane this will be the end of it.

 

Lockerbie: A Search For Truth Review

The second episode of Lockerbie: A Search for Truth has pros and cons. The obvious highlight of the series is the core story which is incredibly interesting. It’s clear from the show that Jim Swire’s story is gripping. In that sense, a documentary would likely be able to cover the events more effectively.

As for the series, there seems to be a lack of emotion with the show skipping large periods of time and ignoring the family’s turmoil during these times. Another issue is that the series might be making things a bit more complicated while repeating the same things regularly.

For instance, everything in the indictment is likely going to be repeated again during the trial. The pacing is a bit odd with some scenes being prolonged and others being rushed through. The performances are strong for what they are, but the series really doesn’t give anyone enough room to shine.

On the plus side, Lockerbie brings attention to the case and it’s strong enough to encourage further research and viewing. It doesn’t serve the purpose well enough as a standalone product. Of course, there is still time for the series to reach an emotional high. The episode scores a 6.5 out of 10. Recaps of Lockerbie can be found here.

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