Lockerbie bomber 'to be released'

[Heidi]

Source: BBC

Page last updated at 01:24 GMT, Thursday, 13 August 2009 02:24 UK

The Libyan man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing is likely to be freed on compassionate grounds next week, the BBC understands.

Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, who has terminal prostate cancer, is serving life for murdering 270 people when Pan Am flight 103 exploded in 1988.

Scottish ministers described the development as "complete speculation".

Kathleen Flynn, whose son died on the plane, told the BBC she was horrified the "terrorist" could be released.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/8198603.stm

[bluestateguy]

1. "Compassionate grounds"? This is a joke right?

Prostate cancer?

Tough shit asshole. Maybe you should have masturbated more when you were a kid. Or do you not get the 72 virgins for that?

[depakid]

8. The guy's dying a horrible death

And you still want even more of a pound of flesh?

What more do you you want "blue"stateguy?

Torture?

[Hawkowl]

9. Let him die in prison

Period. That is compassionate enough. Treat him, give him the best medical care and then simply document his dying. IN PRISON.

Think about him the next time you take an airplane ride. You watch the baggage handlers loading the bags and speculate whether your compassionate release has prompted the insertion of an explosive into the belly of the airplane in which you are sitting.

I define being liberal as being anti-death penalty, not anti-imprisonment.

There is evil in many varied forms and it must be fought.

[Name removed]

17. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Romulox]

11. Death in prison is precisely the point of a "life sentence".

"Torture?"

Overwrought crap. :silly:

[depakid]

18. So what more would YOU want?

Perhaps we should burn him alive.

[whopis01]

42. He was given a life sentence. No one is claiming he should be burned alive.

Do you feel that life sentences should never be given out?

[marshall]

23. Hasn't Susan Atkins been "at death's door" for a few years now?

Her attorneys and supporters argue that she should be released to spend her last few weeks in freedom and with loved ones.

But that's been going on for some time now.

[WriteDown]

29. Generally, life in prison...

means "life" in prison.

[Renew Deal]

51. Is it worse than having his plane explode mid-flight and crash into homes?

What more do people want? Maybe for him to serve his sentence. That's not a lot to ask.

[Libertas1776]

2. Prostate cancer?

Too freaking bad. Let the slime suffer in prison. There is no forgiveness and certainly no compassion for a coward like that.

[proteus_lives]

3. What utter shit.

He should die in a prison hospital. And the dumped in an unmarked grave facing AWAY from Mecca.

[Wilms]

4. "The commission also said new evidence had raised doubts about prosecution evidence"

:shrug:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/29/world/europe/29lockerbie.html?_r=1

[Name removed]

5. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[canetoad]

6. I heard a radio report driving home

so sorry, no citations, that this was not likely to happen.

[HamdenRice]

7. Many people who have looked at Lockerbie believe that the Libyan guy was NOT the bomber

There were more intelligence agencies interested in bringing down that plane than you can shake a stick at. It was very bizarre.

I'd put my money on the South Africans. A high level delegation, including Minister of Foreign Affairs Pik Botha, were scheduled to be on that plane, along with a European diplomat to whom the South Africans were going to hand over Namibia on behalf of the UN (after 70 years of South African colonization). The South Africans decided not to get on the plane at the last minute and the soon to be High Commissioner for Namibia was killed.

South Africa was then able to appoint a South African to control Namibia for another year or so, with dire consequences for both SWAPO and the internal struggle in South Africa (just check out what happened in Caprivi, Namibia).

If they didn't do it, they knew about it.

[slampoet]

10. There was always something VERY fishy about the Lockerbie incident.

There was also some detail about the US DEA allowing luggage onto the plane w/o screening.

This news was swept under the rug real fast after the BBC reported it.

[Xithras]

13. Only if you ignore the fact that Libya admitted that they were behind it.

It's been pointed out many times that, if SA really wanted to kill these people to maintain control over Namibia, it would have been far easier to bring them down while on a leg over Africa, where airport security is practically unheard of, than to attempt to send a bomb through one of the worlds busiest first world airports. While there may have been motive, there were far better opportunities to do so that would have brought far less attention from the rest of the world.

[Alamuti Lotus]

16. one could say it was expedient way of erasing oneself from the shitlist,

and placing oneself on the list of 'unsavory oil exporters given a reasonably clean slate in exchange for a market-flooding supply of dollar(and lira)-producing greasy blackstuff'.

What punishment followed the all-American Reaganite terrorism of bombing Libyan cities? Apparently only certain forms and certain sources of "terrorism" are considered wrong. Other American terrorism in the Gulf of Sidra is miraculously ignored. There is the other, messy parallel of the matter of Iran Air 655 that is conveniently sidestepped (the Vincennes Captain's 'Legion of Merit' and the various Combat Action Ribbons handed out after the affair just look callous, one might say) despite the dollars handed out (any fragment of remorse or apology meticulously avoided).

[HamdenRice]

20. Are you kidding? The Africa leg was South African Airways

I flew SAA several times in the 80s, and their security was like Israel's and El Al's. South Africa did not bomb SAA.

Also, Libya's overall position, officially and unofficially was that he didn't do it, but if we have to serve this guy up as a sacrificial lamb to get off the terrorist list we will. And they did.

[CJCRANE]

12. Easier this way

than admitting he's innocent (or at least that the prosecution evidence was faulty).

[ohio2007]

14. EU wants to curry favor with the Libyian leader and his oil ?

just sayin.

[Heidi]

15. UPDATE | BBC: US stands against bomber release

Page last updated at 21:56 GMT, Thursday, 13 August 2009 22:56 UK

US officials have said the man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing should serve out his sentence following reports that he could be released.

The BBC understands Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, who has terminal cancer, is likely to be freed next week.

A US official told the BBC that they had no information that he was set be released on compassionate grounds.

However, he added that the American position remained that Megrahi should complete his jail term in Scotland.

<snip>

A US official told the BBC they had "no information to suggest that the Scottish authorities have taken any decision" to release Megrahi.

Read more

[kiva]

19. He should die in prison,

sort of the point of a life sentence.

[ohio2007]

21. Nigerians protest Lybia’s plan to execute 220 Nigerians

Nigerians all over the world have reacted to alleged plans by the Libya plans to execute 220 Nigerians for immigration violations. To save the Nigerian from death, ........
30 have been executed by the Libyan authorities.They have also sent out email accounts of Nigerian embassy officials in Lybia for people to force the embassy to intervene. Already, Sudanese embassy officials are said to have protested to Lybia against the execution of their citizens. Nigerian government is yet to act.


Reports came yesterday that by today, over 220 illegal immigrants in Libya mostly Nigerians may be executed. It said that out of this number, 30 were allegedly executed in the early hours of Thursday in the prison yard in Tripoli, the Libyan capital.

SNIP

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4017115#4021012

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

22. Is this linked to Lockerbie somehow?

I don't see the connection.

:wtf:

[ohio2007]

60. Yes, You could say "Justice gets served" differently around the world

For example, illegals crossing over the southern border of a north american country are eligible to receive several types of taxpayer mandated programs. Illegals crossing over the southern border and touch the soil of Libya, even though they planned to illegally enter the EU, seem to be eligble for a state burial program.
while others who allegedly break EU laws, receive a different kind of reception when they touch down on Libyan soil;

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4025383&mesg_id=4025480

Al-Megrahi return to Libya riles UK

snip

Amr El-Kahky, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Tripoli, said al-Megrahi did not attend main celebrations in the city, but there were rumours as to the reason why.

"A lot of people will tell you his health is really ailing and he did not go to the public party in downtown Tripoli.

"Others will tell you it must be the pressure from the United States and other countries who are really angry that al-Megrahi has been released and they want to see very little of him on the street," he said.

Barack Obama, the US president, described the release as a "mistake" and said that al-Megrahi should be placed under house arrest on his return.

snip
"There's an understanding that with Libya now head of the African Union, and with it becoming the head of the UN General Assembly and a leading oil exporter, the idea of normalising relations with Libya in this kind of way is important and necessary.

Omar Turbi, an expert in US-Libyan relations, said that the release could pose a dilemma for the Libyan authorities, given that in 2001 it accepted responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing.

"Will they move forward in their history and time, thinking, 'Okay, we want the world to think that we took revenge over America's bombing of Tripoli in 1986, or shall we really take this stigma out of the world's view of us and clear it once and for all?'," he said.

"Libya is going to live with this stigma forever if it does not take a proactive step to clear its name."

The attack on flight 103 on December 21, 1988, killed all 259 people on board and 11 on the ground.

Four years after al-Megrahi's conviction in 2001, Libya admitted responsibility and paid about $2.7bn in compensation to the families of those killed.

The move prompted the lifting of international sanctions against Libya and led to a restoration in diplomatic ties between Tripoli and the West.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2009/08/200982172727265928.html

It's best to ignore the western media and read up on how the African and Middle eastern MSM spin these stories concerning that oil giant Libya.

[rebecca_herman]

24. For murderers life should mean LIFE

Isn't the point of life in prison the convicted dying of natural causes in prison? What's the point if it doesn't mean life? And if this guy conspired to blow up an airplane before, whose to say he won't get back in touch with those people he conspired with again.

I don't see how believing that someone who was sentenced legitimately under the laws of the country he commited a mass murder in, should serve out that sentence, is a comparable evil to that commited by the convicted criminal, who murdered over 200 people. Saying that the world would be a better place if people who think he should serve out his sentence were to die is just ridiculous.

[Cass]

25. The sentence is not "life (unless you get cancer, then all bets are off)".

A life term should mean just that.

Wouldn't this set a precedent? What would stop the next person who develops a fatal illness from requesting a release from a life term on compassionate grounds and use this case as justification for doing so? What about a person who develops cancer when going through a trial? Should his or her trial and/or subsequent sentence be abandoned on compassionate grounds due to a fatal illness?

If there is information that comes to light which questions his guilt, there should be a hearing to review it. But they shouldn't be releasing someone because information comes up that has not yet been determined to be valid.

[Stingraypoindexter]

28. On the contrary Cass,

not releasing him would set more of a precedent.

Anyone can request a release on compassionate grounds in Scotland as al-Megrahi did. Guidelines indicate that anyone with around 3 months left to live should be freed regardless of crime if they pose no threat to society. Indeed I believe 23 of 27 applications for compassionate leave in Scotland were granted last year.

Mr Macaskill (Scottish Justice Secretary) said Scots defined themselves by their humanity.

"Mr al-Megrahi did not show his victims any comfort or compassion. They were not allowed to return to the bosom of their families to see out their lives, let alone their dying days. No compassion was shown by him to them.

"But that alone is not a reason for us to deny compassion to him and his family in his final days."

Mr MacAskill continued: "Our justice system demands that judgement be imposed, but compassion be available. "Compassion and mercy are about upholding the beliefs the we seek to live by, remaining true to our values as a people - no matter the severity of the provocation or the atrocity perpetrated. "For these reasons and these reasons alone, it is my decision that Mr Mr Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al-Megrahi, convicted in 2001 for the Lockerbie bombing, now terminaly ill with prostate cancer, be released on compassionate grounds and be allowed to return to Libya to die."

The Scottish government will be slated by many over this decision but I believe it is the correct one.

[Cass]

55. Very interesting. I did not know of the guidelines in Scotland regarding compassionate release.

In that case, this seems to be a routine request and not so surprising when viewed in that light. Thanks for this info, Stingraypoindexter.

on edit: Welcome to DU! :toast:

[ShortnFiery]

26. I've told my family member to NOT be obsessed with hatred and revenge if,

Heaven forbid, I ever die due to "murder."

It's sad to see that people can not move on with their lives. No, not forget or demand justice. However, this evil man is close to death.

Believe it our not, our more noble expression of MERCY tamps down the hatred from those who support the interests of this man's evil deed of killing civilians.

We are above this PURE HATE. Justice has been served because the man is a hair breath's from death. To show "an ounce" of mercy REVEALS that we are humane and civilized people.

Simply put: Our compassion for EVEN a evil persons "end of life" request hurts the evil-doers.

As a society, we must be above such vicious hatreds lest we turn into EXACTLY those who we purport to loathe.

[WriteDown]

30. Seeking justice is not hatred...

that is a mistake that many make.

[ShortnFiery]

63. Justice has been served as there are many reputable people to include family

members of the victims that are not CERTAIN of this man's guilt.

There we many shenanigans and extraneous "ass grabbing" between Libya and the USA during the course of the investigations and prosecution of the convicted bomber.

However, even if he is truly guilty, he did not act alone. Further, the mark of a truly HUMANE and CIVILIZED society is how it treats "the least of us." That includes prisoners and convicts. Although they have not shown their victims compassion, AN OUNCE of compassion at the end of life goes a long way in demonstrating that a nation is above crude gut-feelings of retribution and vengeance.

I don't know if I could be a humble human being if one of my beloved family were killed. However, if I were one of the victims, I would not wish form my family to "stew in hatred" for the man who was convicted. I would hope that they would understand that JUSTICE WAS SERVED and the true mercy given by the Scots was for this man's four children who get to see their father before he dies. Those four children had NOTHING to do with the murders. I don't begrudge the innocents ... even those within the perpetrator's family.

Christians are called upon to be Christ-like. We fail miserably but that doesn't mean we should not strive to be more compassionate for all of God's creatures. :shrug:

[WriteDown]

67. Justice generally involves serving one's sentence...

If it is life in prison, generally you aren't able to leave until that life is over.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[dipsydoodle]

31. Lockerbie bomber's release agreed

Source: BBC News

The Lockerbie bomber is to be released on compassionate grounds, the Scottish Government has announced.

Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, 57, was jailed in 2001 for the atrocity which claimed 270 lives in 1988.

Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill revealed that the Libyan, who has terminal prostate cancer, would be allowed to return to his homeland.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/8197370.stm

---

He's definately be released within the next hour. This is our latest breaking TV news now.

[ShortnFiery]

32. So what? The Scotts showed an ounce of mercy to an evil man ...

My God, does everyone base their play book for justice on the fictional show "24?"

The guy is dying a horrid death from cancer = justice has been served EVEN if the damn Scotts don't choose to cut off his head and stick it on a poll.

What "mercy" does is that it NEGATES increasing support for the TRUE crazies who sympathize with this guy's actions. Simply put, an ounce of mercy is excellent PR for those who purport to be part of a humane and civilized society.

[Tansy_Gold]

44. I'll stand with you on this

Well put. :thumbsup:



Tansy Gold, who is also short and often fiery

[ShortnFiery]

47. Awe, thank-you kindly.

:blush: :hi:

[Tansy_Gold]

56. You are very welcome. And I should also add

That I'm a Scot on my great-grandfather's side, from Fyvie near Aberdeen. I've never quite reconciled myself to some of the more bloodthirsty aspects of my Scottish heritage, but I think I'll be proud of it today.



Tansy Gold, of such mixed ancestry that she can renounce or claim half a dozen or more as it suits her

[SWr]

57. nope

But that doesnt mean anyone should show him mercy at all.

He didnt show any to the passengers who died horrific deaths ... old testament justice ... let him serve his term in a cell

and die in prison, mercy would be providing him medical care along the way with modest pain medication.

[Mika]

33. Meanwhile, the two bombers of Air Cubana flight 455 walk free in Miami.

When Americans express equal outrage and demands of action against Luis Posada and Orlando Bosch, the Air Cubana bombers harbored in the USA, then Americans have near zero footing for complaints.


YouTube - Family of victims of Air Cubana Flight 455 Bombing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9iirvV6ZQc

---

[dipsydoodle]

34. Indeed Mika.

x(

[frazzled]

35. Sadly, Mr. al-Megrahi showed no compassion to my friend who died in the bombing

He was the son of my parents' best friends (who themselves died of cancer before this tragedy). He was a research scientist who had gone to London to report on then nascent HIV treatment research. He was young. He had just gotten married. He never got to see his friends or family.

I'm sad.

[dipsydoodle]

36. You assume his guilt which is suspect anyway.

Suggest you read this : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8211596.stm

[frazzled]

37. Well, no one on the plane was guilty either

That's the terror about terrorism.

Here's the real clincher from the article to which you linked: "But with Britain and America doing big business with Libya now, perhaps it is in no-one's political interests to have the truth emerge." George Bush made Qadaffi our new best bud.

[dipsydoodle]

38. As you said

"But with Britain and America doing big business with Libya now, perhaps it is in no-one's political interests to have the truth emerge."

There is nothing else on our TV news at present - it's showing the convoy en route to Glasgow airport where a plane awaits to retirn him to his family in Lybia.

Mention has also been made of the fact that the abondoned appeal seems to have been at the behest of the Lybian government under presssure from Hilary as its thought an appeal would likely have led to a quashed conviction given later evidence to which access by his defence was denied.

[frazzled]

43. But so far, no one has said ...

I feel compassion for the loss of your family friend, a brilliant young man who was doing the right thing by trying to find the cure for AIDS.

Given the lack of that compassion, I feel none for this member of the Libyan intelligence. It seems everyone is more interested in conspiracy theories about America and Britiain. Earth to us lefties: Libya was never any bed of roses. Don't forget that.

[dipsydoodle]

59. Nothing to do with conspiracy theories.

If one of the judges had not been sick his appeal would have been allowed before he withdrew it. Its considered that his first trial would almost immediately have been declared a miscarriage of justice due to evidence being withheld at the time.

[Mika]

39. I wonder what the excuse is for not prosecuting Bosch and Posada?

Maybe it is their employment by the CIA.

Maybe the US harbors terrorists the US trains and pays.

That would make the US gov and the CIA an accomplice in an airliner bombing.

Any thoughts?

[ButterflyBlood]

45. Ridiculous.

The only good thing is this'll probably fuck up the SNP.

[dipsydoodle]

58. It's not ridiculous

because if his appeal had not been withdrawn its considered that the first trial would've have declare a miscarriage of justice due to evidence being withheld and he'd have been freed immediately anyway.

Prior to the appeal being withdrawn the only reason it hadn't been allowed was that one of the judges was sick and so there was a delay which was overtaken by the withdrawal itself.

[Hepburn]

40. 40% of British petrol comes from....

...guess where.

No wonder he was released.

Edit for typo.

[Stingraypoindexter]

41. Hepburn

Can you provide a reference for the above statement?


If you are not aware, the decision (to release al-Magrahi) was not made by the British government but by the Scottish government. Scotland is the largest petroleum producer in the European Union.

The ruling UK Labour government disagreed with the Scottish National Party's decision to release al-Magrahi so it seems unlikely IMO that oil was behind the decision.

[muriel_volestrangler]

49. Norway? Scotland?

Of the 42.5 million tonnes of oil imported into the UK in 2007, 34.6 million tonnes came from Norway. UK production was 77 million tonnes (https://www.og.dti.gov.uk/information/bb_updates/chapters/Table4_3.doc), most of which comes from Scottish fields. Total oil exports were 46.8 million tonnes in 2007.

So, what does 40% of British petrol have to do with this case?

[mulhollanddriven]

46. This guy needs to rot in prison

Imagine if the bomb had brought down a plane flying your family.

[robcon]

48. Let him die in jail.

n/t

[Renew Deal]

50. He should have served out his sentence in prison

And those that support his release are an embarrassment to this site and themselves.

[Mr. Mojo Risin]

52. Disgusting, can't wait to see him heralded a hero and martyr

This crap makes me sick. He should die alone in a cell in Scotland. He did the crime, he should do his time. LIFE. When he dies, send his body home.

[Nihil]

66. Guess you are one of those types who keeps people on death row even when proven innocent ...

News for you sunshine: by releasing him *before* he dies, he is
no longer capable of being a "martyr".
:eyes:

There are two sad things about this affair: he will never get the
acquittal that he deserves and the families of the victims will
never get to hear why their loved ones were murdered as the
US GOVERNMENT is withholding the evidence (as usual when they are
involved with the crimes).

[rebecca_herman]

53. So much for a "life sentence"

He should have lived out his natural life in jail, it would have still been a better death than those poor people on the plane were allowed.

[KamaAina]

54. So much for the war on terra

at least where oil is involved. :grr: :banghead: :argh: :nuke:

[ohio2007]

61. ...but..... he's a "war hero" in Libya. western media isn't getting that close to this story

TRIPOLI: A former Libyan agent jailed for life for the 1988 Lockerbie bombing that killed 270 people flew home to a joyous reception Thursday after Scottish authorities released him on compassionate grounds because he is dying of cancer.

..........
said Susan Cohen of Cape May Court House, New Jersey, whose 20-year-old daughter Theodora died in the attack.
“Lockerbie looks like it never happened now,” she said. “There isn’t anybody in prison for it.”


http://arabnews.com/?page=4§ion=0&article=125678&d=21&m=8&y=2009





EU wants to beat the 'Chicoms" to the oil fields.... or
is it the new US president wants to rule africa ? ;)

US wants greater military ties with Libya

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/libya/?id=33381




Gathafi: US, China competing over Africa

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/libya/?id=20735

At last, "the emir of africa" finally has his star shining brighter then Saddams ! lol

[ShortnFiery]

64. The guy continues to proclaim his innocence. It's not like he's saying that he got over

with anything. Many people BELIEVE (not all of them Libyan) that this guy was set-up. :shrug:

[CJCRANE]

65. “Lockerbie looks like it never happened now,” she said. “There isn’t anybody in prison for it.”

Similar to 9/11 and 7/7. (Although of course the 9/11 'masterminds' are in Gitmo - but have never been tried or convicted).

On edit: Add the Omagh bombing in Northern Ireland in the 90s. All of these attacks have victim's family members who are still waiting for answers from the authorities.

[1]

62. and the terminally ill dude will probably strap one on again...

yee hah!