Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi

What do members think of the possible release, on medical grounds, of Megrahi. Who’s expected to die this week. Some people think Megrahi was a stooge in a game of politics and is not guilty of the crime at Lockerbie and that the crime was carried out by an Iranian.

Before making your decision, consider the following;

Sunday July 3, 1988

The USA shot down an Iranian civil aircraft with the loss of 290 passengers and crew, including 66 children.

Wednesday 21st December 1988

A Pan-Am 747 bound for New York from London crashes into the small Scottish town of Lockerbie, killing all 259 people onboard (mostly American) and 11 people on the ground.

I think that on one hand his release could be considered a concession by Scotland that he's innocent. On the other hand, that was 20 years ago, and the people in power now (who would be releasing him) are probably not the same people that imprisoned him in the first place.

That's not the first time I've seen a comparison those two events made. However, I don't really see them as being that related. The first was carried out by the US Navy (who admitted it was a mistake), the second was (allegedly) by a small group of people (I think only 2?). I mean, I guess the point is "why does America get off free, when this poor guy's alleged crime isn't even as bad, and he gets life in prison." Even if Megrahi is guilty, he's a scapegoat. It says to me that the UK is comfortable choosing a scapegoat, and Iran isn't (or didn't because they were paid off by the US). Anyway, let the poor guy go, he's not a threat anymore (or maybe he is! he knows he's going to die soon, maybe he'll take this chance to carry out a suicide bombing!)

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Originally Posted by FleshGregor

I think that on one hand his release could be considered a concession by Scotland that he's innocent. On the other hand, that was 20 years ago, and the people in power now (who would be releasing him) are probably not the same people that imprisoned him in the first place.

That's not the first time I've seen a comparison those two events made. However, I don't really see them as being that related. The first was carried out by the US Navy (who admitted it was a mistake), the second was (allegedly) by a small group of people (I think only 2?). I mean, I guess the point is "why does America get off free, when this poor guy's alleged crime isn't even as bad, and he gets life in prison." Even if Megrahi is guilty, he's a scapegoat. It says to me that the UK is comfortable choosing a scapegoat, and Iran isn't (or didn't because they were paid off by the US). Anyway, let the poor guy go, he's not a threat anymore (or maybe he is! he knows he's going to die soon, maybe he'll take this chance to carry out a suicide bombing!)

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Do you think that Islamic or any other fundamentalist would accept a 'pay off'? Evidence was held back from the Lockerbie trial because it was top secret and the UK and American Governements would not allow it to become public in a trial. Part of that evidence, now since' leaked', shows that the timer for the Lockerbie bomb came from Iran.

When you think about it Megahi was a pay off to get sanctions lifted.

Whether he's culpable or not i guess we can't really tell,same with alot of people in our jail system today.
This if anything appears to be an admission of guilt coz i've heard of far more debilitated people who still went on to do full time.

I wasn't saying that fundamentalists would accept a pay off, that's my point. The US carried out their own investigation in regards to the Iranian aircraft, and there was really no level of accountability (they said it was an accident, and never formally apologized). I see the connection between the two events but it's my understanding that the whole revelation of Islamic Revolutionaries carrying out the bombing was made in 1988 (when they took responsibility). If that's the truth then why wouldn't evidence be handed over? Why wouldn't they go after who really did it? Part of me is still reserved for the idea that Megahi was involved with the Islamic Jihad or that they were simply claiming responsibility.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/briantaylor/2009/08/elementary_my_dear_watson.html
Elementary, my dear Watson
Brian Taylor | 15:13 UK time, Friday, 14 August 2009

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Not sure if, like me, you are a fan of the Sherlock Holmes stories penned by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

In one, Holmes' trusty associate Dr Watson asserts that one event, following hard upon another, represents "an amazing coincidence."

Holmes replies: "The odds are enormous against its being coincidence. No figures could express them. No, my dear Watson, the two events are connected - MUST be connected. It is for us to find the connection."
A comparable task confronts those who are trying to understand, fully, the apparent endgame which is under way with regard to Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, the man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing.

Item: Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill is actively considering whether to return Megrahi to Libya, either on compassionate grounds or under a prisoner transfer scheme.

Item: Megrahi's lawyers announce that he is seeking leave of the court to abandon his appeal against conviction, the second such appeal he has lodged.

We are asked by the Scottish Government to accept that these two incidents are entirely unrelated.
I refer, my honourable friend, to the reply given earlier by Mr S. Holmes of 221b Baker Street, London.
A couple of points. Prisoner transfer to Libya could not proceed while proceedings in this country remain active. So dropping the appeal would be a precondition for that avenue.

How about the other route, then? Compassionate release because of Megrahi's illness?
The two issues - abandoning the appeal and Megrahi's health - are linked in the statement issued today by the Libyan's lawyers, Taylor and Kelly.
They say that his condition has taken a "significant turn for the worse in recent weeks."

Others argue that Megrahi has come under pressure to drop his appeal in order to pave the way to his release on compassionate grounds. That would, arguably, be a tidy solution.
Once again, the Scottish Government adamantly denies that there is any link.

Which leaves us where? Awaiting developments.
On Tuesday, Megrahi's lawyers will seek leave of the High Court to drop the appeal. Mr MacAskill's decision will follow shortly thereafter.
He has promised an outcome by the end of the month. I would not be remotely surprised if the result is that Megrahi returns to Libya.

Mr MacAskill is in an exceptionally difficult position, pressed from all sides, faced with competing perspectives.
UK ministers plainly want an end to the process, not least because they are resisting publication of documents said to emanate from a foreign government which, it is claimed, could cast light upon the case.
The resistance is founded upon an assertion that security would be breached by publication. So diplomats and the security service would welcome a deal that forestalled disclosure.
From an early position where the Scottish Government protested angrily that it had not been consulted over the agreement between Tony Blair and Colonel Gaddafi, ministers in Scotland have - quite rightly - been brought into discussions with their UK counterparts.

The Scottish legal system might well welcome closure of this protracted, challenging case.
The counter point of view, advanced by Nationalist MSP Christine Grahame, among others, is that Scottish justice is better served by persisting in efforts to dig out the truth.

Then there is the issue of compassion. Megrahi is said to be terminally ill with prostate cancer.
Regardless of other issues, should the justice secretary pay heed to that?
Either way, relatives of those who died are decidedly not content.
There are those who believe that Megrahi is guilty and who say there should be no deal whatsoever - he should remain in jail in Scotland.
Those who believe he is innocent - and consequently welcome his release - nevertheless are voicing distress that the emerging shape of events means that the search for further information will be stalled.

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Here we have a no win situation for the ‘Other Country’. Let him die and the secrets will eventually be released under a public enquiry in Scotland. IMO it would prove that this other country knew that this man was not responsible for the bombing and it was an Iranian revenge attack for the shooting down of an Iranian civil aircraft by America with the loss of 290 lives. At the time of Lockerbie Libya was the bad man in American eyes.

http://www.iranchamber.com/history/a..._flight655.php

IMO this is a Scottish issue as the crime was committed in Scottish territory. America can’t have it both ways, extraditing a Scottish hacker for trial in America because the crime was committed there and at the same time interfering with Scottish Justice because the majority of the victims of Lockerbie were American. Don’t forget the residents of Lockerbie that lost their lives.

O’K’ we can blame the Scottish system for trying the wrong man, but it was at the insistence and ‘evidence’ (given in camera) of the other country that pointed toward Megrahi.

It has been a hash from beginning to end but hopefully a Public Enquiry, held without restrictions will point to those in the wrong.

It has just been announced that Megrahi will be released within the next 12 hours.:)

I watched him get on the plane.

Thought the Nike hat was a nice touch.