The insane decision to release the Lockerbie bomber from prison and allow him to return home to Libya doesn’t look any wiser in hindsight.
More than six months have now passed since Libyan Lockerbie bomber Abdul Ali al-Megrahi was given a “compassionate” release from a Scottish prison — because he had less than three months to live.
Not only is Megrahi — who got life for his role in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am 103, which killed 270 — still alive, but the cancer that allegedly had him at death’s door reportedly has stabilized.
The supposed “compassion” of Scotland in permitting the release was repaid in predictable form – with a victory lap by Libya.
Gordon Brown took the position that the decision to make the release was purely a Scottish matter, but stories surfaced immediately indicating otherwise:
The British government decided it was “in the overwhelming interests of the United Kingdom” to make Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi, the Lockerbie bomber, eligible for return to Libya, leaked ministerial letters reveal.
Gordon Brown’s government made the decision after discussions between Libya and BP over a multi-million-pound oil exploration deal had hit difficulties. These were resolved soon afterwards.
The letters were sent two years ago by Jack Straw, the justice secretary, to Kenny MacAskill, his counterpart in Scotland, who has been widely criticised for taking the formal decision to permit Megrahi’s release.
The correspondence makes it plain that the key decision to include Megrahi in a deal with Libya to allow prisoners to return home was, in fact, taken in London for British national interests.
While the Obama administration issued denunciations at the time of the release, it almost surely knew of the decision well in advance and failed to stop it. Reasonable minds can debate whether that proves collusion or ineptitude.
But in the final analysis, the West has proven once again that it is not serious about fighting terrorism, and it looks increasingly feckless. The terrorists are surely taking note.
{ 1 comment }
The point is: Mr Megrahi did not do it. He was framed by the CIA for a job carried out by themselves and a single Iranian, in reply to the Iranian anger at the destruction on IR-655, and carried out that HW Bush would be elected.
Your US political system is sick, flawed and failed beyond belief.
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