Original subtitles

Holy infant

It's a few days before Christmas.

It's a few days before Christmas.

So tender and bright

The residents of a small Scottish town

The residents of a small Scottish town

prepare for the holidays.

Sleep in heavenly peace

Sleep in heavenly peace

Danger is fast approaching.

The street was on fire.

Lawns were on fire.

And houses were on fire.

I had never seen anything like that.

Christmas is going to be remembered

for all the wrong reasons.

for all the wrong reasons.

A devastating plane crash shatters a village

and captures the attention of the world.

It was one of the most significant

It was one of the most significant

terrorist attacks in history.

The mystery is finally

cracked by a piece of debris smaller than a fingertip.

cracked by a piece of debris smaller than a fingertip.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Ladies and gentlemen,

we are starting our approach.

We lost both engines.

Put your mask over your nose for emergency.

Mayday. Mayday.

Mayday. Mayday.

Wait for impact.

Here's the last one.

Here's the last one.

It's going to crash.

Huh?

October 26, 1988, near Dusseldorf...

October 26, 1988, near Dusseldorf...

...for weeks, German police

have been following a group of suspected

have been following a group of suspected

terrorists around the ancient town of Neuss.

Huh?

Today, they'll make their move.

In the trunk of their car,

In the trunk of their car,

police make an unusual discovery.

Police raid apartments used by the two men.

Police raid apartments used by the two men.

They find a number of blank passports

and a small arsenal of weapons.

and a small arsenal of weapons.

When police closely examine the radio recovered from their car,

When police closely examine the radio recovered from their car,

they find it's wired with explosives.

Those devices used a combination

Those devices used a combination

of an improvised barometric device

and a timer, a short delay timer.

and a timer, a short delay timer.

All these devices were, in fact, supposed

to go onto an aircraft.

to go onto an aircraft.

A barometric timer is

set off by changes in altitude.

set off by changes in altitude.

It's triggered when it reaches a certain height.

Since that guarantees a plane will be in the air

Since that guarantees a plane will be in the air

when the bomb goes off, it's a favorite device for

those targeting passenger jets.

those targeting passenger jets.

The two men arrested in Germany worked for a well known

The two men arrested in Germany worked for a well known

terrorist organization, the popular front for

the liberation of Palestine.

the liberation of Palestine.

Leader of the PFLP-GC, Ahmed Jibril,

made a speech in Libya in 1986.

And one of the things he said was that until there's peace

And one of the things he said was that until there's peace

in the Middle East, there would be

no safety for anyone traveling on an American

no safety for anyone traveling on an American

or an Israeli airliner.

It's a couple of months

until the busy Christmas travel season.

until the busy Christmas travel season.

With the two men under arrest, German police

have made commercial aviation a little safer.

have made commercial aviation a little safer.

Two months later, Pan Am Flight 103 is on its way from London

Two months later, Pan Am Flight 103 is on its way from London

to New York.

The jet has just taken off from Heathrow airport.

There are 259 people on board.

Most of the passengers are American.

Most of the passengers are American.

The first part of the trip to the United States

takes the plane northwest up over Scotland.

takes the plane northwest up over Scotland.

The so-called Daventry departure is

one of six preset routes the jets follow

on their way out of Heathrow.

Lockerbie is one of several small towns

the plane will pass over.

the plane will pass over.

Tucked away in the Scottish lowlands,

residents are barely aware that they live

residents are barely aware that they live

below a busy aerial highway.

Pan Am calls this 747 Clipper Maid of the Seas.

Pan Am calls this 747 Clipper Maid of the Seas.

Captain James Macquarie is 55 years old.

Like many passengers on this pre-holiday flight,

Like many passengers on this pre-holiday flight,

he's heading home.

Five miles below, the people of Lockerbie

Five miles below, the people of Lockerbie

prepare for Christmas.

Michael Gordon is chatting with a friend

when a strange rumbling noise fills his house.

when a strange rumbling noise fills his house.

Hang on.

There's something odd outside here.

The weather that night was a bit wild.

The weather that night was a bit wild.

There was a fairly strong westerly wind.

And I could hear it hitting the window in front of me.

And I could hear it hitting the window in front of me.

From my window, I can see Lockerbie because my house

sits up on the hill.

And I heard this noise, which was

And I heard this noise, which was

above the noise of the wind.

And the noise sounded like thunder.

And the noise he's got louder and louder.

And the noise he's got louder and louder.

And I could hear the noise then got to the stage of being

And I could hear the noise then got to the stage of being

similar to a jet fighter.

And at that time, we had a lot of military aircraft

passing through the area.

passing through the area.

However, I saw dark objects, dark things,

However, I saw dark objects, dark things,

falling from the sky.

Against the lights of Lockerbie, I could see these black objects

Against the lights of Lockerbie, I could see these black objects

coming down.

And then from my ride, quite high on my right,

And then from my ride, quite high on my right,

I could see a long, thin, black object which had a fire

in the upper surface coming in.

in the upper surface coming in.

And it was making its way towards Lockerbie

And it was making its way towards Lockerbie

When it hit, it was the most horrendous explosion.

And I could hear the tiles on the roof of my house lifting.

And I could hear the tiles on the roof of my house lifting.

Hello.

Hello.

When the explosion took place,

When the explosion took place,

the telephone line stopped functioning.

Lockerbie is burning.

Lockerbie is burning.

Enormous flames reach into the night sky.

Michael Gordon races to the neighborhood

that his hardest hit.

that his hardest hit.

The street was on fire.

The lawns were in fire.

And houses were on fire.

And it was difficult to go without finding my trousers

And it was difficult to go without finding my trousers

burning and my shoes burning.

burning and my shoes burning.

You had to jump about quite a bit

because everything was on fire.

But I remember at that point finding an airline ticket.

But I remember at that point finding an airline ticket.

And it was perfectly intact.

There was no damage by fire or fuel

There was no damage by fire or fuel

or contamination of any sort.

And the airline ticket said London Heathrow to JFK.

And the airline ticket said London Heathrow to JFK.

Somehow, Pan Am Flight

103 has fallen from the sky and smashed

103 has fallen from the sky and smashed

into Lockerbie, Scotland.

In the daylight, the full horror of the crash is obvious.

Several houses on the ground have

simply vanished, vaporized when the plane smashed into them.

simply vanished, vaporized when the plane smashed into them.

An enormous crater has torn through the Southern edge

of the town.

1,500 tons of rock and earth have

been blasted out of the ground.

been blasted out of the ground.

11 people from Lockerbie are dead, along with all 259

people who were on board.

people who were on board.

As far as I know, I've lost my brother-in-law,

As far as I know, I've lost my brother-in-law,

my sister-in-law.

And their house is just a 30-foot crater.

And their house is just a 30-foot crater.

In the ruins of their homes,

they search for the bodies of the aircraft's passengers,

they search for the bodies of the aircraft's passengers,

such a catastrophe, so sudden, so

great a shock for a quiet town.

It looked like a scene out of hell.

This whole road was ablaze.

I didn't know what it was.

And then we rushed outside and just

And then we rushed outside and just

all this debris coming down.

Air crash investigators

have arrived in Lockerbie within hours of the crash.

Mick Charles is the lead inspector

Mick Charles is the lead inspector

for the British Air Accidents Investigation branch, the AAIB.

One of the first sites we went

One of the first sites we went

to was the site of the crater.

That was still smelling very much

That was still smelling very much

of aviation fuel for a start.

And scattered all around were bits of debris

And scattered all around were bits of debris

and, in some cases, human tissue as well.

Charles quickly gathers his team

Charles quickly gathers his team

to begin looking for clues.

It was all heaving.

It was happening.

It was happening.

There were loads of people.

And it was, to some extent, chaos.

And it was, to some extent, chaos.

You'll be organized into groups

headed by an AAIB inspector.

headed by an AAIB inspector.

Does anyone have any questions?

The sooner we start, the better.

More than 1,000 police officers

and 600 members of the military pour into Lockerbie

as the investigation into the crash of Pan Am Flight 103

as the investigation into the crash of Pan Am Flight 103

begins.

You always have this sense of wanting to get

You always have this sense of wanting to get

to grips with what it is.

It was quite clear that whatever it was was colossal.

It was quite clear that whatever it was was colossal.

Any debris that's found

is put into clear plastic bags and left to be collected later.

is put into clear plastic bags and left to be collected later.

Dark bags are used to store human remains.

It's just days before Christmas, but the holiday

It's just days before Christmas, but the holiday

spirit has been shattered.

At the start of the investigation,

At the start of the investigation,

what we were doing was finding out which bits of the aeroplane

what we were doing was finding out which bits of the aeroplane

were where, actually finding all the aeroplane.

The sheer scale of the disaster

The sheer scale of the disaster

is difficult to comprehend.

Chris, the RAF have offered us a helicopter.

Can we use it?

Can we use it?

Absolutely.

With so much wreckage being found,

investigators need to get a bird's eye view

investigators need to get a bird's eye view

and locate the largest fields of debris.

The maps of that area were very short supply.

The maps of that area were very short supply.

And we ran out of them very quickly.

So we had to use black and white photocopies initially.

So we had to use black and white photocopies initially.

Investigators bring local police

officer Michael Gordon with them to help in the search.

officer Michael Gordon with them to help in the search.

The intention was for me to be able to identify

geographical landmarks and identify parts of the aircraft.

geographical landmarks and identify parts of the aircraft.

They soon get a better

sense of their enormous task.

sense of their enormous task.

When we were in the helicopter,

we could see that the wreckage came out on in a cone shape,

we could see that the wreckage came out on in a cone shape,

emanating from Lockerbie.

And the cone shape got wider and wider

And the cone shape got wider and wider

the further from Lockerbie.

The principal feature that I was looking

for was to try to establish some pattern

for was to try to establish some pattern

of the wreckage which showed...

which would basically help me direct

which would basically help me direct

the ground investigators.

They're shocked by what they find.

They're shocked by what they find.

Pieces of the plane are scattered

over an area larger than all of London,

over an area larger than all of London,

more than 770 square miles.

It quickly becomes clear that Pan Am 103 was coming apart

It quickly becomes clear that Pan Am 103 was coming apart

long before it hit the ground.

long before it hit the ground.

Normally, you're seeing a fairly

contained accident site.

In Lockerbie, it was nothing like that

In Lockerbie, it was nothing like that

because initially the police had identified

half a dozen discrete sites.

half a dozen discrete sites.

A 747 is made up of more than six million parts.

In the mangled remains of the jet,

investigators need to find the one that

will tell them what happened.

will tell them what happened.

The plane's cockpit is eerie proof that Pan Am Flight

103 broke apart in mid-air.

103 broke apart in mid-air.

Severed from the rest of the plane,

it's 2 and 1/2 miles east of the city.

it's 2 and 1/2 miles east of the city.

Inside the cockpit, investigators

Inside the cockpit, investigators

note the positions of various switches and controls.

They find the autopilot is on and the oxygen masks

They find the autopilot is on and the oxygen masks

are still stowed.

This is a fairly standard procedure, which we would

do in any such investigation.

do in any such investigation.

The end result was that there was nothing at all untoward

The end result was that there was nothing at all untoward

found in the cockpit.

Everything was consistent with cruising flight.

Everything was consistent with cruising flight.

Soon, investigators discover

why the damage to Lockerbie was so devastating.

why the damage to Lockerbie was so devastating.

The main wreckage which fell on the town of Lockerbie

was the wing, which is basically both the left

was the wing, which is basically both the left

and right wing complete with a structure in the middle.

Investigators estimate

Investigators estimate

that the plane was loaded down with almost 100 tons of fuel.

150 tons descending essentially vertically

150 tons descending essentially vertically

at up to about 500 knots speed.

And there's an awful lot of energy in that.

And there's an awful lot of energy in that.

And that's what created the crater.

To find the cause of the crash, however,

To find the cause of the crash, however,

investigators will have to look elsewhere.

They need to examine wreckage found south of Lockerbie.

These pieces would have come off at the beginning of a disaster.

These pieces would have come off at the beginning of a disaster.

While the painstaking work of collecting evidence continues,

investigators combed through maintenance records.

investigators combed through maintenance records.

Those records raise concerns about the plane's age.

Those records raise concerns about the plane's age.

Clipper Maid of the Seas was the 15th 747 ever built by Boeing.

Clipper Maid of the Seas was the 15th 747 ever built by Boeing.

This was one of the older Boeing 747s.

It was built in 1970, so it was 18 years old

It was built in 1970, so it was 18 years old

and had got something like 75,000 flying hours.

and had got something like 75,000 flying hours.

Perhaps some critical part of the plane

had given way as it flew over Lockerbie.

had given way as it flew over Lockerbie.

The two obvious possibilities were

The two obvious possibilities were

that it was a straightforward structural failure

that it was a straightforward structural failure

or it was possibly the result of sabotage.

Nick Charles?

Tom Thurman, FBI.

Tom Thurman, FBI.

Good to meet you, Tom.

I was expecting you.

While the investigators are searching

for possible answers in the history of the plane,

the second possibility, sabotage,

is also being pursued.

is also being pursued.

We were there to provide technical expertise

to the Scottish investigators into explosives

to the Scottish investigators into explosives

and explosive damage and the telltale sign

and explosive damage and the telltale sign

that it could be a bomb.

Just 3 and 1/2 years before Lockerbie, a bomb

had brought down an Air India jet just off the Irish coast.

had brought down an Air India jet just off the Irish coast.

In that case, the plane and vital clues

In that case, the plane and vital clues

sunk deep to the bottom of the sea.

But the wreckage of the Pan Am flight

litters the Scottish lowlands.

litters the Scottish lowlands.

If it was a bomb, there's a chance that important evidence

can be found.

What kind of logistical effort is it going to take to find

everything, and I mean everything, and bring it back

everything, and I mean everything, and bring it back

to a location to be able to look at it

and come to some conclusion?

and come to some conclusion?

With the fragments that we found on the ground,

we were picking those up.

We were looking for blast damage on these pieces of metal.

We were looking for blast damage on these pieces of metal.

But until we found something that

But until we found something that

said it was a bomb, physical evidence, it was an accident.

said it was a bomb, physical evidence, it was an accident.

We were very mindful of the fact

that there was plenty of reports in the media

that there was plenty of reports in the media

about it being a terrorist act.

It's a question of what evidence you find

and which direction to take the investigation.

and which direction to take the investigation.

In the first 24 hours,

four separate groups have claimed responsibility

four separate groups have claimed responsibility

for bombing the jet.

The Guardians of the Islamic Revolution

are undertaking this heroic execution

are undertaking this heroic execution

in revenge for the blowing of the Iranian airplane

by America.

by America.

Dick Marquis is an expert

on international terrorism working for the FBI.

on international terrorism working for the FBI.

A number of organizations

either claim credit for or were given

either claim credit for or were given

credit, including groups from Iran and Palestinian groups.

And one Irish group also claimed responsibility for it.

And one Irish group also claimed responsibility for it.

Six months earlier, the US Navy shot

Six months earlier, the US Navy shot

down an Iranian passenger jet.

290 people were killed.

The American government claims it was an accident,

The American government claims it was an accident,

but Iran has vowed revenge.

Other threats had been made in the weeks before the crash.

Other threats had been made in the weeks before the crash.

The American embassy in Helsinki received an anonymous warning

that a bomb would soon be put on a Pan Am

that a bomb would soon be put on a Pan Am

flight leaving from Frankfurt.

Officials eventually discounted the threat,

but a notice was posted in American embassies.

but a notice was posted in American embassies.

Many of the passengers who boarded Flight 103

Many of the passengers who boarded Flight 103

had come from Frankfurt on a connecting flight.

Right.

Right.

Excellent work, everyone.

Then on Christmas Eve, just three days

after the crash of the plane, the investigation

after the crash of the plane, the investigation

gets an enormous break.

Everyone clear on what they need to do this evening?

Terrific.

Tom, can I see you?

Tom, can I see you?

Absolutely.

Here.

You'd like to put your gloves on, I think, for this.

Mick Charles, he had a bag and had a piece of metal

Mick Charles, he had a bag and had a piece of metal

in the bag.

What is it?

We think it's a piece of luggage rail.

We think it's a piece of luggage rail.

It helps guide the cargo containers into place.

Inspectors in the field discovered items which they

Inspectors in the field discovered items which they

recognized as being not part of a normal failure sequence

that you would expect if it had been a structural failure.

that you would expect if it had been a structural failure.

Mick, this has been very near an explosion.

Mick, this has been very near an explosion.

That's what we thought as well.

Small marks have been

Small marks have been

made on the metal, craters that are

the telltale signs of a bomb.

the telltale signs of a bomb.

The Scottish countryside is about to become the largest

crime scene in the world.

crime scene in the world.

It's Christmas Day, 1988.

But in Lockerbie, Scotland, people are still reeling

But in Lockerbie, Scotland, people are still reeling

from a devastating plane crash.

Christmas is just going to be remembered

for all the wrong reasons.

It's just tragic for everybody.

It's just tragic for everybody.

I'll never believe in God again.

That was, in my mind, the most distinguishing characteristic

of Lockerbie.

And although it was over Christmas,

And although it was over Christmas,

you just you just stay there and you do what you have to do.

Investigators converge on a farmer's

Investigators converge on a farmer's

field outside of the town.

Over here.

Keep yelling.

Keep yelling.

We can't see you.

Over here.

Over here.

The weather had turned horrible,

foggy, kind of misting rain.

You couldn't see 10 feet in front of you.

You couldn't see 10 feet in front of you.

And there was debris literally all over the place.

And there was debris literally all over the place.

Another piece of the baggage compartment rail

has been found.

It looks like the piece that you showed me last night.

It looks like the piece that you showed me last night.

About 20 inches is just gone.

And lo and behold, that was the other piece

And lo and behold, that was the other piece

of the skid rail that was literally

sticking in the ground.

sticking in the ground.

We made some photographs.

It was a Christmas present, that we could go out there

to this farm and find the other piece of metal

to this farm and find the other piece of metal

that had been blown off.

This piece also has pits

and craters in it, indications that it

and craters in it, indications that it

was close to an explosion.

The pieces of wreckage are part of the southern debris field

The pieces of wreckage are part of the southern debris field

and near the beginning of it.

The placement suggests they were some of the first parts

The placement suggests they were some of the first parts

to break off the plane.

We were very suspicious that it was a bomb which

had caused this destruction.

had caused this destruction.

But we were not prepared to say anything

until we'd had those details confirmed

until we'd had those details confirmed

by the forensic experts.

A British forensics lab has made the critical link.

A British forensics lab has made the critical link.

Traces of two chemicals used to make plastic explosive

Traces of two chemicals used to make plastic explosive

are found on the debris recovered near Lockerbie.

On December 28, just seven days after the crash,

On December 28, just seven days after the crash,

investigators have their proof and announce it to the world.

investigators have their proof and announce it to the world.

It has been established that two parts of the metal luggage

pallets framework show conclusive evidence

pallets framework show conclusive evidence

of a detonating high explosive.

of a detonating high explosive.

The crash of Pan Am Flight 103

is now officially a crime.

Our mandate with regard to Lockerbie

Our mandate with regard to Lockerbie

was to find out who did it and prove it because what we wanted

to do is bring someone to justice

to do is bring someone to justice

and make them answer for killing 270 people.

We looked at every single passenger on the plane

We looked at every single passenger on the plane

to see if, in fact, someone could have given them a bomb.

The evidence proved that not to be the case.

The evidence proved that not to be the case.

In Lockerbie, investigators from the AAIB

In Lockerbie, investigators from the AAIB

continued to sort through the tons of tangled metal.

They are particularly interested in the hull of the aircraft.

They move pieces of it to a military hangar

They move pieces of it to a military hangar

just outside of town.

It was a five-acre shed, which was long

It was a five-acre shed, which was long

enough that we could plan to lay the fuselage out

enough that we could plan to lay the fuselage out

as it opened up like a clam shell

using the bottom center line of the aircraft

using the bottom center line of the aircraft

as our sort of core line.

The fuselage of an airplane

The fuselage of an airplane

is bolted to a series of frames.

And each frame is numbered based on how far it is

And each frame is numbered based on how far it is

from the front of the aircraft.

Before we laid out the wreckage two

dimensionally, we put lines and tapes on the floor

dimensionally, we put lines and tapes on the floor

to give us a grid.

And this grid related to the geometry of the aeroplane.

And this grid related to the geometry of the aeroplane.

They begin to reassemble it

like an enormous jigsaw puzzle.

like an enormous jigsaw puzzle.

As the work continues, more pieces of the plane

As the work continues, more pieces of the plane

are found that show telltale blast damage.

Right.

The location is 817204.

The location is 817204.

The location is 817204.

When they gather the pieces that

are near the front of the plane, investigators

make a chilling discovery.

make a chilling discovery.

This is where the bomb had started

ripping the plane apart.

ripping the plane apart.

It became apparent that there was

an area of the aircraft in which the damage was really

an area of the aircraft in which the damage was really

quite different from the rest.

quite different from the rest.

The fuselage in this section

isn't torn, but blasted to pieces.

isn't torn, but blasted to pieces.

The fuselage structure in the area of the explosion

was blackened and sooted.

was blackened and sooted.

The fractures were very rapid and jagged,

unlike normal tearing fractures of skin.

unlike normal tearing fractures of skin.

Frame 700 runs right round here.

Frame 700 runs right round here.

Not only do investigators now know it was

a bomb, they know where it blasted

through the fuselage of the plane,

through the fuselage of the plane,

just outside the forward luggage compartment.

Peter Claiden is responsible for reassembling

Peter Claiden is responsible for reassembling

the cargo containers that were directly

behind the shatter zone.

The main goal I had was to identify the baggage container

The main goal I had was to identify the baggage container

that contained the device.

that contained the device.

We had maybe 20 baggage containers

of a similar construction, so it's like having

of a similar construction, so it's like having

20 jigsaw puzzles all mixed up.

The investigators concentrate on the cargo

The investigators concentrate on the cargo

containers that were found in the southern debris

field, wreckage that was ejected shortly after the explosion.

field, wreckage that was ejected shortly after the explosion.

We concluded that there were only two

on the aircraft, one made of aluminum, one made

of fiberglass, and they had been adjacent to each other

of fiberglass, and they had been adjacent to each other

on the aircraft.

And they were the only two that exhibited

And they were the only two that exhibited

evidence of an improvised explosive device

having detonated.

having detonated.

The metal container, AVE4041,

is of particular interest.

is of particular interest.

It was resting directly behind frame 700,

where the blast damage was the worst.

where the blast damage was the worst.

Investigators create a simple framework

and attach the pieces of the real cargo container to it.

and attach the pieces of the real cargo container to it.

As they do, it becomes clear AVE4041 carried the bomb

As they do, it becomes clear AVE4041 carried the bomb

that brought the plane down.

Closely examining damage to the floor and the side

of the container, investigators are also

of the container, investigators are also

able to pinpoint the height of the bomb, where it was in

able to pinpoint the height of the bomb, where it was in

the container when it exploded.

What that said to me was that the device was probably

What that said to me was that the device was probably

in a suitcase and that suitcase was probably not

on the floor of the container.

on the floor of the container.

It looked like it was one level up.

According to luggage records,

According to luggage records,

it means that the bag containing the bomb

had come from a connecting flight.

While investigators are assembling a piece of the metal

container, they discover a fragment of wreckage

container, they discover a fragment of wreckage

that doesn't belong.

When looking at it, I saw a little piece of debris trapped

When looking at it, I saw a little piece of debris trapped

in one of the folds, so gently flexing this apart,

it fell out.

it fell out.

When I looked at it, I could see it

was a fragment of a printed circuit board,

an electronic circuit board.

an electronic circuit board.

Can you bring me a camera and an evidence bag, please?

Let's get this to the lab.

Eventually, forensic experts

in Britain determined that the circuit board was a piece

in Britain determined that the circuit board was a piece

of a specific brand of radio.

News of the discovery makes its way to Washington.

News of the discovery makes its way to Washington.

It reaches Tom Thurman, who's returned to his office there.

It reaches Tom Thurman, who's returned to his office there.

And lo and behold, an identification

was made into a Toshiba SL 16 radio.

was made into a Toshiba SL 16 radio.

The radio cassette player had hidden the bomb.

The radio cassette player had hidden the bomb.

It's very similar to the one that was recovered

by German police when they cracked

by German police when they cracked

the Palestinian terrorist cell two months before the bombing.

the Palestinian terrorist cell two months before the bombing.

Had German police somehow missed something?

Had a bomb made here been used on the Pan Am flight?

Had a bomb made here been used on the Pan Am flight?

When the bombing happened, one of the initial

suspects certainly was the PFLP-GC cell in Germany.

suspects certainly was the PFLP-GC cell in Germany.

The intelligence told us that the PLFP-GC was

The intelligence told us that the PLFP-GC was

probably responsible for this.

49 passengers who eventually boarded the Pan

49 passengers who eventually boarded the Pan

Am flight started their journey in the German city

of Frankfurt.

Their bags were placed onto Flight 103 in London.

Their bags were placed onto Flight 103 in London.

But the airline did not ensure the passengers

But the airline did not ensure the passengers

who checked in the bags actually got on to the plane.

Perhaps a bomb made in Germany had slipped through the cracks

Perhaps a bomb made in Germany had slipped through the cracks

at Heathrow, while the terrorist walked away.

We had to then, if that was the case, prove it.

As the investigation continues,

there's a puzzling discovery.

While made by the same company, the cassette player

While made by the same company, the cassette player

used in the Lockerbie bombing is slightly different from the one

that was seized in Germany.

that was seized in Germany.

Both were contained in Toshiba radios.

But one was a one speaker model.

But one was a one speaker model.

And the one that blew up the Lockerbie plane

was a two speaker more updated model radio.

was a two speaker more updated model radio.

The difference in the model of radio being used

The difference in the model of radio being used

raises doubts.

Perhaps the terrorists in Germany are not responsible.

Perhaps the terrorists in Germany are not responsible.

You can look at the way

You can look at the way

that a device is put together and say,

hey, I know who put this together

because I've seen this before.

because I've seen this before.

And this is the way that this bomb

builder puts a bomb together.

They call it a bomber signature.

Law enforcement officials

Law enforcement officials

need more clues to figure out who had built the bomb.

Perhaps the suitcase it was packed in

can provide those clues.

can provide those clues.

Studying small pieces of wreckage,

British forensic experts find that the suitcase was

British forensic experts find that the suitcase was

a hard-sided Samsonite 4000.

a hard-sided Samsonite 4000.

Samsonite made only a few thousand of these suitcases

and sold all of them in the Middle East.

and sold all of them in the Middle East.

Several pieces of clothing have also been identified that were

Several pieces of clothing have also been identified that were

very close to the explosion, likely in the suitcase that

concealed the bomb.

concealed the bomb.

Most of these clothes were made by a single manufacturer

Most of these clothes were made by a single manufacturer

and were only sold on the tiny island of Malta.

So Malta became the focus of the investigation

So Malta became the focus of the investigation

because of the manufacture and eventually

because of the manufacture and eventually

distribution of some of the clothing

that was found at Lockerbie.

Investigators find the shop in Malta

Investigators find the shop in Malta

where the clothes were sold.

The owner gives them another clue.

The key thing that he told us was the person

The key thing that he told us was the person

had a Libyan accent, something we

didn't really have evidence yet that tied Libya to the bombing.

didn't really have evidence yet that tied Libya to the bombing.

It was just two weeks before the attack

It was just two weeks before the attack

on the Pan Am flight.

In 1988, Libya was reeling from a number of confrontations

In 1988, Libya was reeling from a number of confrontations

with the American military.

Economic sanctions had been imposed.

Economic sanctions had been imposed.

The country was isolated, and its leader, Muammar Gaddafi,

The country was isolated, and its leader, Muammar Gaddafi,

aggressively anti-American.

Perhaps the bombing of the Pan Am flight

was an attack by Libya against the United States.

was an attack by Libya against the United States.

Pouring through baggage records for the Pan Am flight,

Pouring through baggage records for the Pan Am flight,

police discover one piece of luggage

that had been carried from Malta to Frankfurt earlier that day.

that had been carried from Malta to Frankfurt earlier that day.

Bag number B8849 had then been sent through

to Britain's Heathrow Airport.

to Britain's Heathrow Airport.

Once there, it was placed on the second level

of cargo container AVE4041.

It was the Samsonite case investigators

It was the Samsonite case investigators

now know carried the bomb.

More than a year after the crash,

a new discovery in Lockerbie helped simplify

a new discovery in Lockerbie helped simplify

the confusing series of clues.

Forensic experts discover another circuit board

Forensic experts discover another circuit board

among the clothes that came from Malta.

It doesn't come from that circuit board

that was in the SF 16 radio.

And this circuit board is half the size of your thumbnail.

And this circuit board is half the size of your thumbnail.

A photo of the circuit board

A photo of the circuit board

is sent to Tom Thurman.

He believes it could be a piece of the timer from the bomb.

He believes it could be a piece of the timer from the bomb.

I spent months literally looking through all

I spent months literally looking through all

of the files of the FBI on other examinations

that we had conducted over many, many, many years.

that we had conducted over many, many, many years.

The FBI has photos of timers used to detonate

The FBI has photos of timers used to detonate

bombs around the world.

But Thurman can't find any that match

the piece found at Lockerbie.

Nope.

Nope.

Next.

Thurman eventually takes the photo of the circuit

Thurman eventually takes the photo of the circuit

to the Central Intelligence Agency.

I called a contact of mine, and I said,

I called a contact of mine, and I said,

I need to bring something over for you to look at.

Sifting through reports on various bombings,

Sifting through reports on various bombings,

Thurman finds a match.

Wait a second, that could be the same.

Wait a second, that could be the same.

Do you have this timer?

When Thurman closely

examines the timer captured by the CIA, he's stunned.

examines the timer captured by the CIA, he's stunned.

Within a few minutes, literally,

I started getting cold chills.

I started getting cold chills.

And right now as I talk about it, cold chills start on me.

This is what we're looking for.

This is what we're looking for.

The timer the CIA has was seized

in Africa a few years earlier.

in Africa a few years earlier.

Two Libyan men were trying to get

it and several pounds of explosives

past airport security.

past airport security.

It's identical to the timer used to bring down Flight 103

It's identical to the timer used to bring down Flight 103

and wouldn't be set off by changes in pressure,

like the barometric switch discovered in Germany.

like the barometric switch discovered in Germany.

This device was set to go off at a certain time,

not at a particular altitude.

not at a particular altitude.

This is the timer.

This is the timer.

This is a long delay timer that brought down that aircraft.

But now, we want to know, where did this come from?

But now, we want to know, where did this come from?

The Lockerbie bomb used

a different timer and a different radio

a different timer and a different radio

than the bomb found in Germany.

Someone else was behind the destruction of the jet.

Someone else was behind the destruction of the jet.

This was not made in somebody's home laboratory.

This was a extremely professionally made timer.

This was a extremely professionally made timer.

This was a extremely professionally made timer.

While the criminal investigation into the bombing

of Pan Am Flight 103 becomes murkier,

of Pan Am Flight 103 becomes murkier,

the accident investigation is becoming increasingly clear.

The investigation eventually moves from Scotland

The investigation eventually moves from Scotland

to Farnborough, England.

Well known for its aeronautics industry,

Well known for its aeronautics industry,

the town is home to the Air Accidents Investigation Branch.

the town is home to the Air Accidents Investigation Branch.

Several months after the crash, investigators

launch a massive endeavor.

launch a massive endeavor.

They begin to rebuild a 66-foot section of the fuselage

from the ruined jet.

from the ruined jet.

They hope that it will give them information

their two-dimensional reconstruction won't.

their two-dimensional reconstruction won't.

They can see that the explosion tore a 5

They can see that the explosion tore a 5

by 16 foot hole in the side of the plane.

Chris Protheroe is the Senior Inspector

of Air Accidents at the AAIB.

of Air Accidents at the AAIB.

What was very difficult to understand

was the fact that this area of direct damage

was the fact that this area of direct damage

was effectively a pinprick in relation

to the size of the aircraft as a whole.

And it was very difficult to understand how this pinprick

And it was very difficult to understand how this pinprick

of damage had resulted in such a comprehensive destruction

of damage had resulted in such a comprehensive destruction

of the of the aircraft.

The bomb that brought the plane down

had little more than a pound of explosive,

had little more than a pound of explosive,

yet its destructive power was immense.

Investigators want to learn more about how

Investigators want to learn more about how

shockwaves behave inside a jet.

shockwaves behave inside a jet.

It's rather like a freeze frame on a video footage.

If you can capture that point as the thing is coming apart,

If you can capture that point as the thing is coming apart,

it tells you a great deal about the way it's coming apart.

it tells you a great deal about the way it's coming apart.

What they discover is

that the initial blast wave wasn't the only one

to damage the plane.

A large section of the ceiling of the aircraft

has been pushed up with so much force

has been pushed up with so much force

that the rivets connecting it to the plane's frame popped.

It wasn't torn apart, but blasted by a shockwave.

It wasn't torn apart, but blasted by a shockwave.

The inside of a jet acts like an echo chamber,

The inside of a jet acts like an echo chamber,

bouncing the shockwaves of the bomb around.

They gather strength until they encounter

They gather strength until they encounter

a weak spot in the skin.

When they do, they blast through.

The work in Farnborough is powerful proof

of how destructive even a small bomb can be

of how destructive even a small bomb can be

and how vital it is to track the bombers down.

and how vital it is to track the bombers down.

Almost two years after the Lockerbie disaster,

the criminal trail of evidence brings investigators to Zurich.

the criminal trail of evidence brings investigators to Zurich.

The timer that detonated the bomb is traced

to a Swiss company called Mebo.

to a Swiss company called Mebo.

One of the owners of the company admits to building it.

One of the owners of the company admits to building it.

The timer was given to the Libyan government.

A total of 20 of them were made, all

delivered to Libyan officials.

delivered to Libyan officials.

Criminal investigators

have linked the timer that detonated the bomb to Libya.

have linked the timer that detonated the bomb to Libya.

They know that a Libyan bought the clothes

that were in the suitcase.

And they know that Libya has a recent history

And they know that Libya has a recent history

of military confrontation with America.

of military confrontation with America.

All they need now is the bomber himself.

In 1999, they finally have him.

In 1999, they finally have him.

At the time of the disaster, Abdel al-Megrahi

was an intelligence officer for the Libyan government.

was an intelligence officer for the Libyan government.

He's arrested and charged.

He was a high ranking Libyan official.

He was a high ranking Libyan official.

He certainly could have access to whatever he wanted.

He certainly could have access to whatever he wanted.

Our investigation determined that Megrahi also

had a front company at Mebo.

had a front company at Mebo.

He had been there many times.

They certainly knew each other.

When you start to see all the connections

and these things just start fitting together,

and these things just start fitting together,

it made it easier to accept our evidence.

In 2001, Scottish judges sentenced him to life

In 2001, Scottish judges sentenced him to life

for the murder of 270 people.

Two years later, although Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi denies

Two years later, although Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi denies

personally ordering the bombing, the government of Libya

personally ordering the bombing, the government of Libya

officially accepts responsibility for the bombing

and pays $2.7 billion to the families involved.

and pays $2.7 billion to the families involved.

Anger is also aimed at Pan Am for the role

it played in the disaster.

it played in the disaster.

A Scottish inquiry points a finger at the company.

The passenger who checked the bomb onto Flight 103

The passenger who checked the bomb onto Flight 103

did not get on board.

It's a fact that Pan Am could have discovered,

had it been following proper procedures.

had it been following proper procedures.

One of the things we discovered when we looked

into the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103

was that there were several bags on that plane that did

was that there were several bags on that plane that did

not correspond to passengers.

not correspond to passengers.

One of the changes that came about

as a result of the Air India bombing

as a result of the Air India bombing

was that airlines were forced to make

sure no bag was put on a plane without a passenger

accompanying it.

accompanying it.

It's called passenger baggage reconciliation.

Without proper notification, Pan Am

had stopped matching passengers and baggage

had stopped matching passengers and baggage

at Heathrow Airport.

So that rule that said that all passengers and luggage have

So that rule that said that all passengers and luggage have

to be matched was not followed.

The company was eventually found

guilty of willful misconduct.

guilty of willful misconduct.

After the crash and the court ruling,

Pan Am declared bankruptcy.

Pan Am declared bankruptcy.

The enduring feeling

I have as a result of Lockerbie is

I have as a result of Lockerbie is

the tremendous level of cooperation

we had from all the agencies.

we had from all the agencies.

And considering that there were about 2,500 people

with the military, the police, and so on involved in this,

with the military, the police, and so on involved in this,

I think that's a great tribute.

In the town of Lockerbie,

In the town of Lockerbie,

there's little evidence today of the horror that exploded

from the sky over 35 years ago.

from the sky over 35 years ago.

In a small church near where the dying plane's cockpit landed

is a stark reminder of the toll of terror

is a stark reminder of the toll of terror

and the importance of bringing the guilty to justice.