Thirty years ago, the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 sent a shock wave around the world. In many ways, the reverberations are still being felt today. As FBI and Scottish investigators continue to actively pursue leads, many of those affected by the 1988 bombing recall the events as if they happened yesterday.
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To highlight the 30th anniversary of the 1998 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland—and the event’s formative effect on the FBI’s counterterrorism and victim-services efforts—I produced a 20-minute video documentary about the FBI’s initial response and investigative efforts with international law enforcement partners.
The documentary video and a companion story include accounts from first-responders, investigators, and victims’ family members. Our intent was to remind the public that the 30-year-old case remains open, that it was instrumental in how the FBI investigates cases overseas, and that it led to the creation of a Victim Services Division. It also shows the FBI has not forgotten the 270 souls who perished in the attack.
We were trying to reach a public audience—in particular the families of victims of the 1988 terrorist attack—to provide assurance that the FBI is still actively pursuing leads and working with Scottish authorities to bring accomplices to justice.
The documentary was embedded within a story on fbi.gov during the week leading up to the 30-year anniversary of the attack. It was also promoted on the FBI YouTube channel and social media platforms. The video accumulated 7,800 views on YouTube, 22,000 views on Facebook, and 45,000 views on Twitter.
The video was previewed at FBI Headquarters during a memorial ceremony that included victims’ family members, first responders, prosecutors, and investigators from the U.S. and Scotland.
The documentary video was produced, shot, edited, and published by a single staff member (me) working in coordination with a colleague who wrote the companion story for FBI.gov. We had exceptional access to key figures in the Lockerbie investigation, including those running the investigations in the earliest days leading up to today. The documentary, produced over seven months, recalls the horror of the event in 1988. It shows how the FBI and Scottish police learned and evolved from the event, and how family members of victims ensured their loved ones did not die in vain.
It was a privilege to have the opportunity to meet with people who shared their stories about how the bombing over Lockerbie affected their lives. They are a special group, forever bound together by tragedy, and I felt lucky to be entrusted to tell their story.
