Fausta's Blog

American and Latin American Politics, Society, and Culture

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Lockerbie bomber: still “not dead yet”

Birthday bash for ‘dying’ Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi sickens crash victims’ kin

The Lockerbie bomber celebrated his 58th birthday on Thursday at a Libyan mansion, defying the imminent death Scottish officials predicted when they compassionately freed him from prison nearly eight months ago.

Compassionately, because,

Diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer while doing time, Megrahi was released in August by Scottish authorities, who were assured by doctors that he had less than three months to live.

Yeah, that, and the oil deal:

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.

Oil may not buy you true love, but it sure can lubricate some “compassion”.

Sing it, lads!

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“Outrage over Lockerbie bomber’s £2m bank account”

Lockerbiebomber

Remember Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi, the Lockerbie bomber? Yes, the guy who five months ago only had three months to live because of terminal prostate cancer? The guy who was sent to Libya to live his final days?

Yeah, the guy who was given a hero’s welcome, and who goes missing whenever he feels like it.

That guy.

Well, it turns out he held almost £2million in a Swiss bank account during his trial (h/t The Astute Bloggers):

Last night the Crown Office confirmed that a “substantial sum” had come to light in 2000, with one source estimating the figure at £1.8million.

Yes, you’d say that nearly $4 million is a “substantial sum”, for sure.

But his prosecutors ignored it:

Evidence of al-Megrahi’s riches was passed to prosecutors by the Swiss authorities in 2000, but was deemed inadmissible because legal proceedings had already begun.
…
“The state of his health notwithstanding, I hate the fact he may have access to that money,” said the former FBI officer. “It is unfortunate this could not have been raised at trial because I do believe it would have mitigated against his claim that he was not a Libyan agent – who has that much money to be allowed to sit in an account for that many years other than a government?”

Other opponents of al-Megrahi’s release seized on the news of his unexpected wealth as incriminating evidence of his role in the murder of 270 people on board Pan Am flight 103.

“What is becoming increasingly clear is this myth that he is an ordinary member of the public who was offered up as a sacrificial lamb is total rubbish,” said Paul McBride, a leading Scottish criminal QC.

No sh*t, Sherlock.

The outrage ought to be at Scotland’s authorities for releasing him, not at having come across the fact that he’s a terrorist and a criminal – after all he was tried, convicted and sentenced for it.

But let me ask you one question, are they seizing the moneys in the Swiss bank account and giving the money to the families of the people he killed?

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Hero’s welcome for Lockerbie bomber

The Scots showed him compassion, the Libyans gave him a hero’s welcome,

Terminally ill Lockerbie bomber lands in Libya

The man convicted of murdering 270 people by blowing up Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, two decades ago received a boisterous welcome when his plane landed in his native Libya on Thursday.

Abdelbeset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi, suffering from terminal prostate cancer, was freed from prison in Scotland, with Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill citing compassionate grounds for the release and saying al Megrahi was “going home to die.”

A large crowd, waving flags and honking horns, greeted al Megrahi at the military airport in Tripoli.

Here’s raw footage of the hero’s welcome at the airport and through the city,

Al Megrahi calls himself a family man. He has shown no remorse.

Via Maria, A SUICIDAL ‘COMPASSION’

Megrahi should die in jail.

It’s that simple.

Unfortunately, he won’t. Every day he lives as a free man in an injury to the families of the Lockerbie dead.

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Compassion for the Lockerbie bomber

Years ago I was told about a man who misled a woman to believe he was terminally ill in order to seduce her. The Scots, however, offer themselves up knowingly:

Scotland frees terminally ill Lockerbie bomber

Scotland’s government freed the terminally ill Lockerbie bomber on compassionate grounds Thursday, allowing him to die at home in Libya despite American protests that mercy should not be shown to the man responsible for the deaths of 270 people.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said Abdel Baset al-Megrahi’s condition had deteriorated from prostate cancer. Al-Megrahi had only served some eight years of a life sentence, but MacAskill said he was bound by Scottish values to release him.

Rather than let the bastard rot in jail,

“Our belief dictates that justice be served but mercy be shown,” MacAskill said, ruling that al-Megrahi “be released on compassionate grounds and be allowed to return to Libya to die.”

More compassion than Al-Megrahi ever showed anyone.

Story also at the WaPo and the WSJ which has a slideshow.

UPDATE
Such a Parcel of Rogues in a Nation- Scotland Knuckles Under

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