UK to Libya: Don’t celebrate the Lockerbie Bomber’s release

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Any celebration of Megrahi’s release will be tasteless, offensive and deeply insensitive to the victims’ families. We have made our concerns clear to the Libyan government.
A spokeswoman for the United Kingdom’s Foreign Office • Telling Libya very publicly not to celebrate the anniversary of the release of Abedelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi, the convicted Lockerbie bomber, who was released over seemingly terminal health issues, only to live the entire year after his release. As you might imagine, it’s a sore spot for the British. source

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01 Sep 2009 21:31

The U.K.’s trying to dispel bomber-for-oil rumors. Libya warned the United Kingdom that there would be “catastrophic effects” to the relationship between the two countries if the Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi were allowed to die in prison, dozens of pages of documents released by the U.K. say. From the sounds of things, Libya twisted Scotland’s arm really hard, and to grease the skids further, Britain and Libya have had warm relations of late. All of which likely helped along his release. source

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It is clear to me from the medical reports and the opinion of the specialists that Megrahi could live for many more months. Kenny MacAskill released him apparently on the advice of just one doctor whose status is not clear and who is not named.
Scottish Labour Party politician Dr. Richard Simpson • Discussing the prognosis of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, which Scottish justice minister Kenny MacAskill believed would only give the Lockerbie bomber a short time to live. Simpson suggests that MacAskill’s information was incorrect. If Simpson is right, then the Libyan government just scored a huge coup. • source

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We understand that, we recognise that … But the process of compassionate release doesn’t depend on the guilt or innocence of the party. It’s an evaluation based essentially on the medical condition of the prisoner.
Alex Salmond, Scotland’s first minister • Responding to criticism by the U.S., most notably FBI Director Robert Mueller, for allowing Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi to go free for medical reasons. In case you’re wondering (we certainly were), Scotland is a part of the United Kingdom but it has its own legal system separate from the rest of the union. So, it wasn’t the U.K. that made this decision – it was Scotland. • source

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