Colin Firth Lockerbie drama brings dad’s campaign to life – but here’s why it has sparked controversy
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Colin Firth's new Lockerbie tragedy TV drama has sparked concern among victims’ families over how it could impact a trial of the alleged bombmaker. Oscar-winning Firth plays the campaigning dad of a young woman who was one of 270 people killed in the UK’s deadliest terror attack. But Sky’s production airing tomorrow about the 1988 bombing of New York-bound Pan AM 103 has sparked fears over focusing on Dr Jim Swire.
The 88-year-old’s theory on who is to blame for the atrocity is at odds with some of those bereaved. And concern has been raised over the potential influence the show could play in the upcoming trial over one of those blamed. The five-part series comes in the wake of last year’s Post Office scandal drama on ITV, which prompted widespread outrage of the miscarriage of justice by highlighting Sir Alan Bates’ campaign.
A bereaved dad said of the Lockerbie programme: “It is only a drama and is their version of what they like to believe happened. But it is a theory I don’t agree with at all. My concern is the influence this could have on the trial if we only hear his version of events. I would be deeply concerned about that.”.
A bomb went off in the hold of the Boeing 747 jet just 38 minutes after taking off from London’s Heathrow on 21 December 1988, killing all 259 onboard and a further 11 on the ground in the Scottish town. Some 43 UK and 190 US citizens were among the 270 who perished – the youngest of whom was only two-months old.
Ex-Libyan intelligence officer Abdelbaset al-Megrahi’s 2001 conviction over the atrocity has been a source of contention for some. Dr Swire’s hunt for justice is played out in the series, Lockerbie: A Search for Truth. The Sky drama is based on the book, Lockerbie: A Father's Search for Justice, which the campaigner co-authored.
