Tam Dalyell and Jim Swire show the value of persistence - Christine Grahame

The late Scottish Labour politician Tam Dalyell

My view changed when it was exposed that during the Falklands War the Argentinian warship the General Belgrano blown to bits by a UK warship had been outside the UK “exclusion zone” and indeed may have been sailing away from the zone – 323 lost their lives.

Tam had been banging on about the Belgrano for a long time and many including myself thought he had lost the plot. But of course, he hadn’t. I learned from him not to give up when you had satisfied yourself that what you were being told by “the establishment” did not fit the facts.

Later our paths crossed as we both pursued the truths behind the Lockerbie bombing and the conviction of Abdel Baset Al Megrahi. Indeed one night I picked up the phone and he was on the line telling me to keep going. I told him what I have now told you: that his persistence over the Belgrano was my guide.

This has all resurfaced as I have just finished reading Dr Jim Swire’s book Lockerbie-A Father’s Search for the Truth. I have met Dr Swire and other campaigners in the past and supported them as they petitioned the Scottish Parliament to require investigations into what happened and why on December 21, 1988 when a terrorist bomb blew Pan Am Flight 103 out of the Scottish skies onto the town of Lockerbie killing 243 passengers,16 crew and 11 Lockerbie residents.

One man to date has been convicted; the Libyan national Abdel Baset Al Megrahi. Oddly it was originally thought to be the work of Iran and Syria as revenge for the bombing of an Iranian passenger plane by the USS Vincennes, a US warship, killing 290 people just a few months before the Lockerbie atrocity.

That Iranian plane was on its usual flight path over Iranian territorial waters. The captain of the US Vincennes was even filmed at the time celebrating with a high five. No wonder Iran pledged revenge. Then out of the blue Iran and Syria are no longer in the frame for the Lockerbie bombing and the finger of blame points at Libya. That is just the beginning.

Suffice to say that many believe, not just Dr Swire and the late Tam Dalyell and myself that the conviction of Megrahi was all to do with international expediency, the dirty world of international politics.

Trapped up in all of this was the Scottish justice system. There is so much evidence and I mean evidence (not “dis” or “mis” information) that discredits the conviction of Megrahi.

Over 30 years have passed since that horrific night yet documents which should have been released by the UK government remain under lock and key, denied the light of day. Freedom of Information requests have been rejected.

Now, if there is nothing to hide, why? What can possibly undermine national security 30 years on when the world and alliances and allegiances have changed beyond recognition? After all, are we not now on speaking terms with Argentina? Keep going Dr Swire.

Christine Grtahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale​