Pan Am 103 Clippings Collection, 1988-2022

Summary

Creator:
Syracuse University. -- Archives.
Abstract:
News articles related to the December 21, 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland and its aftermath
Extent:
6.5 linear feet
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Pan Am 103 Clippings Collection,

Background

Scope and content:

The Pan Am 103 Clippings Collection contains articles and news items related to the December 21, 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, and its aftermath. These clippings were collected from various periodicals beginning in December 1988, immediately following the bombing.

The collection has been divided into the following series:

Anniversaries contains articles related to commemorations of the anniversary of the bombing.

Books and publications contains articles related to monographs, special issues of periodicals, and other long-form analyses or commentary related to the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.

Subject files comprise the bulk of the collection, and are arranged alphabetically by subject. This series encompasses the following subsections: Legal proceedings, containing articles related to litigation and prosecution surrounding the bombing; Lockerbie, containing articles pertaining to the town of Lockerbie, Scotland and its residents; and Syracuse University, containing articles and news items documenting the impact of the bombing on the University community following the loss of 35 students traveling through its Division of International Programs Abroad (DIPA).

Television, film and radio consists of articles related to documentaries, feature films, and significant interviews pertaining to the bombing of Pan Am 103. Files are arranged alphabetically by title.

Theatrical productions contains articles and news items pertaining to dramatic works or other live performances inspired by the bombing and its aftermath.

Biographical / historical:

On December 21, 1988, Pan Am Flight 103, a Boeing 747 christened Clipper Maid of the Seas, was destroyed by a terrorist bomb over Lockerbie, Scotland. The bombing and subsequent crash resulted in the deaths of 270 individuals, including 35 students returning home from study abroad through Syracuse University's Division of International Programs Abroad (DIPA). The investigation and eventual indictment in 1991 of two Libyan intelligence agents, Abdel Basset al-Megrahi and Lamen Fhimah, were covered by news outlets across the globe. The trial held at Kamp van Zeist, Netherlands in 2001 and the eventual release of al-Megrahi, the only person convicted of the bombing, in 2009 returned Pan Am 103 to the world spotlight. Subsequent events in Libya, including the fall of the Gaddafi regime and the 2022 arrest and indictment of accused bombmaker Abu Agila Mohammad Mas'ud Kheir Al-Marimi, have brought Pan Am 103 back into headlines once again.

Acquisition information:

These materials have been collected by the Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives staff.

Active collection of clippings by Archives staff was discontinued in May 2016. Clippings for notable events may occasionally be added to the collection at the discretion of Archives staff.

Processing information:

Clippings have been photocopied and placed in acid free folders and boxes.

Arrangement:

The materials in the Pan Am 103 Clippings Collection are arranged alphabetically by topic within each series.

Accruals:

Additional materials are accumulated on a yearly basis. Any current clippings are integrated into the collection at the end of each calendar year.

Access and use

Restrictions:

There are no access restrictions for this collection.

Terms of access:

Written permission must be obtained from the Pan Am Flight 103 Archives and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Preferred citation:

Pan Am 103 Clippings Collection,

Location of this collection:
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries
Bird Library, Room 600
Syracuse, NY 13244, United States
Link to repository site
Contact:
315.443.2697
scrc@syr.edu