RELATIVES of victims of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing presented their case yesterday to a Scottish judge for launching a posthumous appeal on behalf of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi.

Mr Megrahi was convicted of the atrocity but died maintaining his innocence.

Dr Jim Swire, whose daughter Lucy was killed in the bombing, said from outside Edinburgh’s High Court: “We want the truth. If I haven’t lost hope in 26 years, I’m not going to lose hope today.”

The Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (SCCRC) is considering a joint application from members of Mr Megrahi’s family and the Justice for Megrahi campaign group, which includes relatives of British victims, to review the conviction.

However the SCCRC says that despite repeated requests, Mr Megrahi’s family have failed to provide “appropriate evidence” supporting their involvement in the application.

A petition lodged last month by the SCCRC asks the courts to make a ruling on whether legal proceedings can continue without the involvement of the Megrahi family.

But Aamer Anwar, solicitor for the families, claims the Megrahis “continue to instruct the application.”

Speaking after yesterday’s hearing Mr Anwar said: “It is the first time in the UK, as far as we can see, where families of the deceased victims have come together with the family of the deceased accused to pursue an appeal.”

The SCCRC wants to determine if a member of the victims’ families might be classed as a “person with a legitimate interest to pursue an appeal” if the case is referred back to the High Court.

A procedural hearing for the petition has been scheduled for March 27.

Prosecutors are expected to oppose any review.