GRIEVING relatives last night demanded that the search for the full truth behind the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 should continue despite the end of the Lockerbie trial.

They spoke out as a Libyan agent began a life sentence after being convicted of the biggest mass murder in British history.

Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, 48, was found guilty of bombing Pan Am Flight 103 which exploded over Lockerbie on December 21, 1988.

His co-accused, Al Amin Khalifa Fhimah, 44, was cleared of any involvement.

All 259 passengers and crew died when the New York-bound Boeing 747 Maid of the Seas disintegrated at 31,000ft 38 minutes after taking off from Heathrow.

Blazing aircraft wreckage rained down on Lockerbie, killing 11 residents whose homes were destroyed.

Al Megrahi and Fhimah were tried by three judges at a special Scottish court at Camp Zeist, near Utrecht, Holland.

Yesterday - the 86th day of the trial, which has cost about £60m - presiding judge Lord Sutherland handed down unanimous verdicts.

The judges recommended a minimum period of 20 years before Al Megrahi can be considered for parole.

They were convinced by the Crown's theory that a suitcase containing the bomb began its journey on an Air Malta flight at Luqa airport in Malta. It was tagged for transfer to Pan Am 103 travelling from Frankfurt to New York via Heathrow.

Although the guilty verdict was welcomed by relatives of the victims, some felt the trial posed more questions than it answer.

Family and friends of those who died said they knew who had committed the atrocity but the brains behind the bombing had still to face justice.

One relative said the decision pointed to a "clear case of state-sponsored terrorism" and opened the way for sanctions to be re-imposed on Libya.

Others said the 20-year minimum sentence given to Al Megrahi, 48, was not enough because it amounts to less than one month for each of the 270 murdered.

Northumbrian couple Barry and Jean Berkley, whose son Alistair died in the tragedy, called for an inquiry into the disaster.

Law lecturer Alistair Berkley, 29, was on the plane travelling to meet his parents where they lived in New York at the time.

Mr Berkley, who lives near Corbridge, said: "We are not satisfied - we still want a full inquiry.

"Our primary concern is to find out why this act was committed and under whose auspices.

"It was a meticulously-run trial and we are pleased there is a verdict because it enables us to go to the next stage, which is asking for a wider inquiry."

His wife Jean said they still want answers. She added: "We have been trying to get the truth and there is still a lot more truth we don't know about.

"We were told we couldn't have an inquiry until after the trial - now we want one."

Others suggested Al Megrahi was just the tip of the iceberg. Betty Thomas, from Carmarthen, lost her daughter Yvonne, 29, and 20-month-old grand-daughter Bryony died in the bombing.

She said: "These were just jokers in the pack and we will only be happy when we know who organised and paid for it."

Former Lockerbie town councillor Hugh Young said: "We may have found a hired gun, but who actually paid for it and why?

"There's a whole range of questions that haven't been dealt with. I don't think the families will let it rest there.

"I still think there are lots of questions to answer and they want to hear the answers."

Al Megrahi is expected to appeal against his conviction. He has 14 days to lodge an appeal, which would be heard by five Scottish judges at Camp Zeist.

He would remain at Camp Zeist until that appeal was complete, but if it failed he would be sent immediately to a Scottish prison to serve his sentence