Former Libyan officials in Lockerbie-linked trial

TRIPOLI, Libya – Two former senior Libyan officials are on trial accused of squandering $2.7 billion in public money meant to compensate families of those killed in the Lockerbie bombing.

The 1988 bombing of a flight over Lockerbie, Scotland was one of the deadliest attacks on an airliner in modern history, killing all 259 people on board and 11 on the ground. Many of the victims were American college students flying home for Christmas.

Monday's opening session of the trial was brief. The judge said the trial would resume Oct. 15 to give the defense more time to prepare.

Defendant Abdul-Ati al-Obeidi was the regime's foreign minister while Mohammed Zaway served as head of the national legislature under Moammar Gadhafi, who was captured and killed by opponents in last year's civil war.

The two officials denied the charges.