Washington, Oct 21 : The death of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi has raised suspicion among relations of Lockerbie bombing victims that they might never know the truth about the atrocity.

The destruction of Pan Am Flight 103 above the Scottish town four days before Christmas in 1988 had killed 270 people, but only one man has been convicted of involvement in the attack.

People have always believed that besides al-Megrahi, who was freed on health grounds in 2009, there were many who played a crucial role in the atrocity, The Telegraph reports.

After the death of Gaddafi was announced, Alex Salmond, Scotland’s First Minister, said police were “ready to investigate” any new lines of inquiry that might emerge from Libya.

“Gaddafi was a brutal dictator who exploited his country and brutalised the Libyan people for over four decades. He lived by the sword and has met his just deserts,” the paper quoted him, as saying.

The Lockerbie case remained “open” and Megrahi had acted “in his capacity as a Libyan intelligence agent”, Salmond said, adding: “He was found guilty of an act of state-sponsored terrorism and did not act alone.”

Pamela Dix, who lost her 35-year-old brother Peter, said: “I am afraid his death doesn’t make anything clearer.”

“We want information and evidence that will demonstrate once and for all whoever was behind it. It might be that people now will feel freer to speak if they know anything. But I would far rather have seen Gaddafi captured and alive,” she added.

Al-Megrahi is currently in Libya, and is expected to die soon as reports suggest that his prostate cancer has reached its final stage. (ANI)