Lockerbie Bomber Freed

[umgolaarmagh]

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

Hard to believe this man has been freed, there must have been some underlying reason for this?

any suggestions why?

[Doogie Browser]

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

Hard to believe this man has been freed, there must have been some underlying reason for this?

any suggestions why?

Was about to start a thread on this also, I think it was the correct decision (but cannot convince myself why), the man is terminally ill.  However it has done the Scots major damage internationally.

[Sandino]

Could this be a factor?
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE57J3K720090820

[umgolaarmagh]

Possibly thats the reason, a few of the main construction companies in UK or tendering for work on Libyan Coastal developments and infrastructure projects

[Minder]

Can anyone explain such a difference of opinion between the British & American families of the bereaved regarding releasing / not releasing him ?

[ludermor]

Possibly thats the reason, a few of the main construction companies in UK or tendering for work on Libyan Coastal developments and infrastructure projects

Almost every decent sized irish companies and consultants are trying to get the foot in as well

[DuffleKing]

Very strong suggestions that he didn't do it and high ranking Lybian officials were prepared to prove that the brits knew he didn't do it if he weren't released...

[EC Unique]

Not long before the attack the yanks shot down an Iranian airliner full of civilians mistaking it for a fighter plane. Widely suspected that the Iranians did this and yer man is a skape-goat!

[red hander]

I think the fact he dropped his appeal had more to do with him being released than anything else.  He was set up as a patsy to take the wrap for the whole thing and was convicted on very flimsy evidence, he has always proclaimed his innocence.  He is going to die in a few days so it will suits everyone that the whole thing gets dropped.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/aug/18/lockerbie-bomber-drops-appeal

Agree 100%.  A lot of the British families of the deceased have expressed serious doubt he was guilty.  They have been calling for a public inquiry since it happened the the British government(s) have refused point-blank.  Around the time of the atrocity Libya was the international 'bad boy' according to the Yanks (I dunno, they never got over the fact the first thing Gadaffi did when he came to power was to nationalise the Libyan oil industry and kick the Americans out of what was, at the time, per capita the poorest country in Africa).  A lot of sceptics believe it was Iran, not Libya who was behind Lockerbie ... I don't think it's a coincidence that 6 months earlier the US Navy shot down an Iranian passenger jet with 290 people on board (66 of them children) in the Persian Gulf   ... vengeance is a very popular motive for murder

[moysider]

Can anyone explain such a difference of opinion between the British & American families of the bereaved regarding releasing / not releasing him ?

Most of the victims on board were American.

The evidence convicting him not very convincing imo. Always thought he was a patsy.

[Rossfan]

Nice to see the Bilingual sign behind the Scottish Minister ..."Governemnt of Scotland ..Riaghaltas na h-Alba" ...Obviously no Ulster Scotch over there 

[Tony Baloney]

I really don't know what the Jocks were thinking of. No doubt oil is involved somewhere that they are prepared to give the States a bloody nose over this. I don't think it is any coincidence that Peter Mandelson "bumped into" Colonel Gadaffi's son in France last week! The whole deal stinks.

[Minder]

Can anyone explain such a difference of opinion between the British & American families of the bereaved regarding releasing / not releasing him ?

Most of the victims on board were American.

The evidence convicting him not very convincing imo. Always thought he was a patsy.

I maybe didn't explain that well, people were killed from both nations yet quite a lot of the Scottish families of the bereaved believe he should have been released and perhaps was not involved at all. The American families obviously have the opposite view.

[EC Unique]

Can anyone explain such a difference of opinion between the British & American families of the bereaved regarding releasing / not releasing him ?

Most of the victims on board were American.

The evidence convicting him not very convincing imo. Always thought he was a patsy.

I maybe didn't explain that well, people were killed from both nations yet quite a lot of the Scottish families of the bereaved believe he should have been released and perhaps was not involved at all. The American families obviously have the opposite view.

Scottish may believe he is not guilty where as Yanks prob refuse to believe their loved ones are dead due to American incompetence ie shooting down Iranian plane so cling to the idea that it was Libyans and not Iranians that did it. Just a guess but may not be far wrong.

[Hound]

I heard some Scottish bird from a victim's group saying he was entitled under rule of law to be released given his circumstances, and other convicted murderers have been similarly released under similar circumstances. Therefore she thought it was not unreasonable.

Though she also said that if the guy did play a part in the bombing it was a relatively small part and the real offender(s) have not been brought to justice.