Lockerbie bomber freed in 'act of mercy'

Joe Fenech

Aug 23rd 2009, 13:33

More comments (BBC interview) about the evidence that the Brits hushed up:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8212475.stm

T Pace

Aug 22nd 2009, 09:40

I do not believe that the release of al-Megrahi was just an act of clemency.

The appeal that he had to abandon, was part of a deal. Has anyone taken into consideration the effect that such an appeal would have had if the charge was not proven?

Would the millions that Libya had forked out have to be refunded? Furthermore the investigation that had been carried out would not have yielded any guilty person.

The account of how the bomb was transferred from two previous flights leaves much to be desired. For instance the allegation that it was placed on a flight departing from Malta was actually disproved. Indeed in the judgement itself it was stated that Malta had an elaborate security system whereby the quantity of luggage being loaded into the aircraft's hold is checked with the check-in desk. Therefore no additional luggage could have been placed on a trolley transferring the luggage to the aircraft. Furthermore all the passengers were traced and none had found any missing case that could have been replaced with the one carrying the bomb.

D Vella (Balzan)

Aug 21st 2009, 19:07

Whether or not this person was guilty of the cruel murder of two hundred and seventy people is not really the point. The point here is that through this simple act, the Scottish authorities are amply demonstrating that they are superior to the animals that perpetrate such inhuman tragedies willingly. The decision to allow Megrahi to return to his homeland and family is demonstrating that although they did not have to take such a decision, they rose above the base reasoning of all those who live by the eye for an eye principle and demonstrated that western society is far superior to the animals that think it is all right to blow up and murder innocent people just to retaliate or to make a political statement. After all, it is much harder to avoid retaliating and getting your own back and to show compassion and kindness to someone who has injured you . . . that takes REAL courage and strength!

David Scerri

Aug 21st 2009, 18:52

now that gaddafi has taken his scape goat back, will he be taken all the refugies back, that flee from his land ??????????

Galea. L

Aug 21st 2009, 17:56

Joe Fenech Good observation m zammit, Brian maloret, john micallef, And if he wasn't? Joe Morana You are assuming that he is the person responsible for the tragedy. Have you not read how many questions about withheld evidence and false evidence were presented? Do you really believe that the detonator allegedly found could by any possible stretch of imagination have survived the thousands of degrees temperature and the blast that blew the aircraft apart? Peter Sammut You could have mentioned how the USA soldiers in Vietnam used to raid villages, take people on board helicopters, interrogate and torture them in the air and them drop them from the helicopters. You forgot about the Napalm bombs used, the mass use of Agent Orange which resulted in thousands of deformed children being born. You forgot that the USA exposes its own unknowing people to viruses and chemicals to test them and see their reactions. If such a country can do this can anyone not believe that the Lockerbie bomb was planned and executed by some of these secret services for political purposes?

Joe Morana

Aug 21st 2009, 16:43

@ Mr. Justice Secretary: We must all die sooner or later! Except that 11 Scottish citizens of Locherbie and 259 people in the doomed aircraft had their lives cut short sooner than any of them expected! Did not the mass murderer that caused so much grief and suffering not deserve to serve the full term of his sentence? Stil,l.....the Left Hand of God reaches far!

E. Azzopardi

Aug 21st 2009, 14:30

Malta has always maintained its innonence and especially now that there is new evidence about this tragedy. Several of the relatives' victims believe that Malta had nothing to do with this. So what is keeping Malta from searching the truth? Malta is definitely not afraid of the truth. Is there somebody who is afraid of the truth? WHAT IS WRONG OF KNOWING THE TRUTH?
It is useless blubbling that Malta comes first and how proud we are of being Maltese. Now it is time to prove it. Malta l-ewwel u qabel kollox . Does still this exist?

Peter Sammut

Aug 21st 2009, 12:41

The hypocrisy of the Clintons,and Obama knows no limit.
These beings are angry because a Scottish politician has now decided to free al-Megrahi as "an act of mercy", now we see Hillary Clinton, along with her boss Obama fulminating against this Scottish "act of clemency".
And yet , this dynamic duo along with a number of anti-semitic politicians, all clamouring for Israel to release over 4000 murdering palestinian terrorists.
I also note the medical care these palestinian prisoners receive whilst in prison, medical treatment administered promptly in the eradication of prostate and of other cancers in the prevention of similar cases as in the luckless al-Magrahi.

Joe Fenech

Aug 21st 2009, 12:25

George Caruana

Spot on!!!!

Funny how all the angry American families interviewed by the BBC yesterday were Jewish: Bernstein, Cohen...!!!! Does that explain anything about their real reasons for the US pointing their finger at Libya?

G. Grech

Aug 21st 2009, 12:16

my first reaction was that of anger. Why should we show mercy at someone who was not capable of such a barbaric act? Mr MacAskill comments truly made sense and shows how Scottish values are much stronger then the hate that drove the terrorists. I believe this is a lesson to humanity.

m zammit

Aug 21st 2009, 12:03

how can the scottish court show compassion to megrahi on the terms that he is terminally ill as he never showed compassion to the innocent people that he killed and how can a man like him be given a hero's welcome in libya, if megrahi [is the true bomber] he should have been kept in jail not freed, justice must be done in memory of all those innocent people who where killed in the pan am bombing

J Farrugia

Aug 21st 2009, 12:02

For me the whole episode of the Lockerbie trials was a fake. Why? Te prosecution rested its case solely on the Maltese link which to me is as false as a counterfeit note. The prosecution wanted a scapegoat since they had no tangible evidence to prove their tattered case. And the scapegoat was a Libyan man with Maltese links. Nothing has been proved that this man was entirely responsible for the Lockerbie tragedy. Fact is that Lockerbie will remain a mystery case with no accused. Megrahi paid the price for international recognition for Libya following its pariah state. It will remain a mystery like the mysterious disappearance of the maltese flagged ship whose crew is now arrested in Russia and no one will ever know what really happened to that ship.

George Caruana

Aug 21st 2009, 11:29

In politics, of whatever nature and context, coincidences do not exist. Note his release was decided on the eve of his appeal, which he would have won since the first proceedings was a mockery of the fundamental right to a Fair Trial with Due Process. So instead of looking pathetic and embarrassed, let's use the pretext of compassion.

Brian maloret

Aug 21st 2009, 11:14

Megrahi boarded the plane at Glasgow airport looking frail and close to death but, on arrival at Tripoli, he looked as if his medical condition had improved significantly during the four hour flight. And as for people in the crowd at Tripoli airport waving the Saltire (the national flag of Scotland), sickening and disgraceful. The Scottish Justice secretary, Kenny MacAskal and the Scottish National Party minority Government should hang their heads in shame. They have made Scotland the laughing stock of the world.

Mark Desira

Aug 21st 2009, 10:48

@John Micallef: How do you know that he is the TRUE terrorist, or the TRUE bomber ?

Ask yourself why the authorities prefered to release him on "compasionate grounds" rather than let him carry on with the appeal. Maybe because what was to come out from the appeal would have given a complete twist to the story we know so far ? Because countries like USA and GB would have been embarassed ? Because the broken padlock of the area where the luggage of the ill-fated flight was stored at Heathrow meant something ?
For some reason, the authorities prefered negotiation: "Drop your appeal which will take months to hear and may be too late for you, and we will release you immediately". For Al-Megrahi time is more precious than being declared innocent.

What you should keep in mind, mr Micallef, is that with the withdrawn appeal, he is still legally guilty, and so is YOUR COUNTRY. It is is useless writing that Malta always maintained its innocence:if Malta is innocent, then so is El-Megrahi, because the only link to his guilt is sendind the suitcase from Malta. You can`t stand on both sides now

Gerry Cowie

Aug 21st 2009, 10:39

There is no proof that this man was actually the bomber. Yes, he went to prison for the crime. Many of the victims' relatives even believe he may well be innocent.
For years he has protested his innocence and was about to mount an appeal - but so much evidence was suppressed, in particular that which may well have freed him, that he stood little or no chance.
There are too many national interests at stake here. Clearly, had his defence team been able to present the suppressed evidence, much political upheval would have resulted.
Hence we have here what seems to be a hushing-up deal.
Naturally everybody wants to see somebody answer for this, so even if this man were innocent they would not want to necessarily accept that he was.

C. Farrugia

Aug 21st 2009, 10:26

Few questions here.

Is this guy in the picture indeed Megrahi?

Why is he all covered up? Cap, glasses and most of his face wrapped in a white scarf or whatever.

And also, his skin looks white.

john micallef

Aug 21st 2009, 10:18

well done to the justice system, instead of preventing future acts like these with TRUE justice, he was released in an 'act of mercy'. sure, and did the victims come back to life as an 'act of mercy'? no matter the amounts received in cash, the victims' families would not be able to replace their missing ones. goes without saying, our society is failing miserably.

Paul Barrett

Aug 21st 2009, 10:10

This release from prison may upset the relatives of the victims but Scotland has very much decreased the pressure and massive complications of an unpredictable possibly world wide backlash if he had died in a Scottish prison in a few months time.
This is not cowardly nor giving away to terrorism but wise lateral thinking - Libia now has a live but very ill hero who will soon be forgotten rather than a dead martyr to be worshiped and used as an excuse for revenge for all time.