Thread: The release of the lockerbie bomber

Our justice system is too compassionate to the ruthless.
Many WW 2 war criminals were released on similar grounds. They did not recieve a hero's welcome so they never made the news headlines.

The more I think about this the more I think the right thing to do would be to release him to stay in Scotland under house arrest. No big welcome homes. No fanfares. The guy does get out of prison to die but he is still guilty. And the UK people dont need to continue paying for him. Nothing can ever make right the hurt or wrong that he did, but the man is going to die anyway.

A bullet to the head would have been a lot less expensive.

Originally Posted by sidneykidney

And the UK people dont need to continue paying for him.

I am quite sure he would qualify for some sort of income support.

There is a risk that some amount of uncertainty will remain for what really happened.
I think it was a shame to let him free in case he really is guilty.

Originally Posted by Sailor

There is a risk that some amount of uncertainty will remain for what really happened.
I think it was a shame to let him free in case he really is guilty.

This is where the trouble comes from. He was found guilty in a court of law. Letting him free has been seen by Libya as 'he was not guilty' but he is still guilty of the crime. He was let out (rightly or wrongly) on compassionate grounds because he is dying. He isnt any less guilty.

And as for income support 1) He is probably too high profile to manage to cheat the system, 2) Even if he validly qualified the tabloids would go to town on that (like we werent already paying for his prison stay).

The more I think of this case the more I develop mixed feelings. But this is exactly what a forum is for- discussion

Originally Posted by JMS

A bullet to the head would have been a lot less expensive.

Or an accidental fall down the stairs... Let's not forget about the government that ordered him to carry out the deed.

Jordan

Funny one this, I imagine there are quiet a few old men and women in this world who have been relised on compassionate grounds who did some evil evil things in their past. I don't really disagree with that system - most of the people who walk out the gates in his condition have no life to return to. Unfortunately, he did, I think that should have been seriously considered.

I also hope in the long run this will restore some sort of balance to our legal system, the ever decreasing sentences for serious crimes and the ever increasing punishments for minor crimes needs to end.

Originally Posted by sidneykidney

This is where the trouble comes from. He was found guilty in a court of law. Letting him free has been seen by Libya as 'he was not guilty' but he is still guilty of the crime. He was let out (rightly or wrongly) on compassionate grounds because he is dying. He isnt any less guilty.

There is a difference between being found guilty, and actually being guilty. Like I said earlier, I also have some doubts. If I knew who blew up that plane, I wouldn't need £2M (about $4M) to testify against them in a court. The only witness who could link Megrahi to the bombing was paid that.

That seems horribly suspicious to me.

We should not forget that many people living in the Arab world feel he did not commit a crime at all but is fighting a just cause.