al-Megrahi : Sun May 20, 2012 2:35 pm  

Gone! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18137896

Gone! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18137896

Re: al-Megrahi : Sun May 20, 2012 2:39 pm  

hope he experienced horrendous excruciating pain the last few years.

Re: al-Megrahi : Sun May 20, 2012 3:05 pm  

CORNISH wrote:

hope he experienced horrendous excruciating pain the last few years.

Why? A lot of people believe he was a patsy, including some of the victims' families.

Re: al-Megrahi : Sun May 20, 2012 3:21 pm  

Live Wired wrote:

Why? A lot of people believe he was a patsy, including some of the victims' families.

George Osbourne will TAX him to death then....ang on, patsy...oh right, sorry, carry on.

Re: al-Megrahi : Sun May 20, 2012 9:09 pm  

So much doubt in this case, you wonder if the new regime in Libya means that maybe one day we'll know the truth? Probably not. It does seem remarkable that with the lack of physical, direct evidence the awful cop-out verdict of 'not proven' wasn't given.

I don't see why, now that he has died, the findings that made the Scottish Criminal Review bods decide to refer him to the appeal courts should't be used and investigated rather than just forgotten about because of the compassionate release. For them to find that he may have had a miscarriage of justice means they must have found something or believe that something may have been missed/overlooked or whatever and the families and victims (if not Al-Megrahi) surely deserve that doubt to be looked into?

One of the first 'big' world events I remember.

Re: al-Megrahi : Sun May 20, 2012 9:47 pm  

Glasgow Gal wrote:

One of the first 'big' world events I remember.

Me too

I will always remember the large fencing that was erected around the site. I think i was about 4 or 5.

I understand the outrage at the Scottish Parliament for releasing him early. I do though take some pride in the fact that according to his relatives, it was being scanned for security reasons whilst serving at her Majesty's pleasure that gave the bar-steward Cancer in the first place.

GIRFUY

Re: al-Megrahi : Sun May 20, 2012 10:07 pm  

tugglesf78 wrote:

Me too

I will always remember the large fencing that was erected around the site. I think i was about 4 or 5.

I understand the outrage at the Scottish Parliament for releasing him early. I do though take some pride in the fact that according to his relatives, it was being scanned for security reasons whilst serving at her Majesty's pleasure that gave the bar-steward Cancer in the first place.

GIRFUY

I was about 7. The image I remember is the photos of the big crater in Lockerbie village because the style of the houses is very similar to those nearby.

I understand the outrage, but I'm torn over the actual release. I think it was the right call made my Kenny McAskill. We have rules and processes and they shouldn't have been overridden because of the opinions of the Americans or because the rules are different elsewhere. Not sure how much that is because I just can't see how he was convicted on the evidence given though. Perhaps if it was blatantly obvious that he was the main man responsible I'd think differently.

Re: al-Megrahi : Mon May 21, 2012 6:46 am  

Prisoners are exchanged for political gains all the time. Lots of IRA and loyalist prisoners were offered early release in order to achieve the Good Friday agreement.

I wonder whether deep down they knew the original trial that had convicted Al Megrahi was dodgy and he might have been offered up as a scapegoat to close the book and claim justice, so when it came to the Libyans demanding him back in exchange for whatever, it was seen as a more reasonable trade than had there been more confidence in his guilt.

More serious IMO than our 'U turn' over Al Megrahi was the U turn in chumming up to Gaddafi, Tony Blair went over kissing his ass like Galloway did to Saddam, if Gaddafi was sponsoring terrorism and behind the Lockerbie bomb then being his best mate was a bigger insult to Lockerbie than the Al Megrahi release.

Re: al-Megrahi : Mon May 21, 2012 7:31 am  

sally cinnamon wrote:

More serious IMO than our 'U turn' over Al Megrahi was the U turn in chumming up to Gaddafi, Tony Blair went over kissing his ass like Galloway did to Saddam, if Gaddafi was sponsoring terrorism and behind the Lockerbie bomb then being his best mate was a bigger insult to Lockerbie than the Al Megrahi release.

And if we followed the hardline with the IRA, they'd still be blowing lumps out of Belfast and the mainland

Re: al-Megrahi : Tue May 22, 2012 2:23 am  

What direct physical evidence do you expect to find linking someone who plans a bombing but gets others to do it and the bombing itself?