While Lord Mulholland was not involved in the original trial proceedings, he always had an interest in the investigation. When he became Lord Advocate in the summer of 2011, he was keen to ensure that all opportunities to progress the case were identified, particularly after the fall of the Gaddafi regime later that year. In 2012 he travelled with FBI Director Robert Mueller to Tripoli to meet with Prime Minister El-Keib of the then transitional government to secure support for the ongoing criminal investigation. In the course of his tenure as Lord Advocate he also met with successive Attorneys General both in Libya and Scotland, forging strong relationships based on trust and mutual professional respect, leading to significant evidential breakthroughs in the case.