Pan Am Families Upset at US Attempts to Restore Relations with Libya

August 15, 2008— -- Nearly 20 years after the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, the United States and Libya have signed a compensation deal for the American victims, a crucial step on the road to restoring diplomatic relations between the two countries. Some family members of Flight 103 victims, however, are not thrilled to see the US is willing to reestablish ties with Libya while leader Moammar Gadhafi is still in charge.

"I am irritated and angry that our government is really willing to open up diplomatic relations while Gadhafi is still in power since he is responsible for the murders of American citizens," said Bert Ammerman, whose brother Tom was on board Flight 103.

"By agreeing to this the US is opening relations with a state that sponsors terrorism." Ammerman, who is a former president of Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, says he is in favor of ultimately restoring relations with Libya, just not while Gadhafi remains its leader.

Before this latest deal, Gadhafi had not completed settlement payments, stemming from a 2003 agreement, to the families of Flight 103 victims. Libya had agreed to pay $2.7 billion in compensation, or $10 million to each family of the 270 victims, but the final $2 million installment owed to each family has still not been paid. Libya was supposed to pay it when the US removed it from its list of states that sponsor terrorism in 2006.

Some family members say they'd rather keep Libya on notice than receive the financial settlement.

"I would gladly forego the money to have Libya remain on the state sponsored terrorism list, so long as Gadhafi's in power," said Peter Lowenstein whose son Alexander, a 21 year-old student at Syracuse, was on board Flight 103.

"I don't think we should be doing this in exchange for Libya getting a free ride," Lowenstein said.

As part of the latest deal, Libya will finish paying the compensation to the American families stemming from the 2003 settlement. New legislation signed by President Bush earlier this month grants Libya immunity from lawsuits once that compensation has been paid. Most family members of the victims have praised legislative attempts to create compensation funds, but some draw the line at warming relations with Libya.