THE trial of two Libyans accused of causing the Lockerbie disaster yesterday ground to a halt just one day into the defence case.
Lawyers defending Abdel-baset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi called two witnesses before asking for an adjournment until Monday, January 8 next year.
The judges hearing the trial at Camp Zeist in Holland reluctantly granted the request from William Taylor QC to allow more time for a document, relating to new evidence, to be sent to the court by the Syrian government.
The defence has described the evidence as establishing new links between Lockerbie inquiries conducted by the German intelligence services (BKA) and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command (PFLP-GC).
The Syrian-based organisation was originally high on the list of suspects for the bombing and is one of two Palestinian groups defence counsel have indicated they will blame for the tragedy.
It is understood the document contains information on police raids of an alleged secret PFLP-GC base in Neuss, Germany where officers are said to have found an explosive device similar to that which triggered the Pan Am explosion.
The defence wants the Syrian document before it calls more witnesses but it is not known when the court will receive it.
Presiding judge Lord Sutherland said there was no point sitting next week as it seemed unlikely the document would have arrived.
He said this would be ''the last opportunity'' for the document to come before the court.
Earlier yesterday, defence lawyers concentrated on the activities of the PFLP-GC during October 1988.
FBI agent Edward Marshman, 42, read from transcripts of FBI interviews with double agent Marwan Kreeshat at the Jordanian Intelligence Services headquarters in November 1989.
It emerged that Kreeshat, who has refused to appear as a witness, was a Jordanian agent sent to infiltrate the PFLP-GC. He was experienced in building improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in radio cassette recorders.
Al Megrahi and co-accused Al Amin Khalifa Fhimah, 44, deny bombing Flight 103 which exploded over Lockerbie on December 21 1988 killing 270 people. They plead not guilty to conspiracy to murder, murder and a breach of the 1982 Aviation Security Act.
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