CAMPAIGNERS who believe that the only man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing is innocent say they’re encouraged that a Holyrood committee is to “watch with interest” a planned bid by his family to clear his name.

The case is expected to go to the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (SCCRC) which investigates possible miscarriages of justice, and could refer it to the appeal court.

MSPs on Holyrood’s Justice Committee agreed to keep open a petition from Justice for Megrahi (JfM) calling for an independent inquiry into his 2001 conviction for the 1988 bombing which killed 270 people.

Committee convener Margaret Mitchell said: “Recently publicity suggests that the family of Mr Megrahi will launch a bid to appeal against his conviction in the coming weeks so we will watch that with interest and see if that affects where we go from here.”

JfM member and former police officer Iain McKie told The National: “Lockerbie was under the radar with no politicians involved, but now we’ve got it in the Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee and they are keeping it on the table.

“It’s really important that we keep political oversight of this in Scotland and we welcome news that the committee is to maintain a watching brief on Operation Sandwood and on the possible appeal.”