Thread: The release of the lockerbie bomber

I'm watching the news at the moment and am following the return of the lockerbie bomber on compassionate grounds to Libya. I wanted to ask the rest of you what you made of this?

In case you missed the story, here it is reported by both the BBC and by Fox news:

BBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | South of Scotland | Lockerbie bomber freed from jail

Lockerbie Bomber Freed From Prison on Compassionate Grounds - Europe | Map | News - FOXNews.com

Also some Q+A by the BBC:

BBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | Bomber release: What happens now?

As far as I'm concerned I see no reason why he should be allowed to go home to die on compassionate grounds when the 270 innocents he murdered were not afforded the same privilage.

I think our prison service and government have totally let the side down on this one.

Oh well.

We see the extremes, but we don't see how many of these don't make it through. Don't judge the "prison service" for a 1 in a million case.

..and he have got a hero's welcome..this world is really upside down.. just look at this pict. of him Times Online | News and Views from The Times and Sunday Times
I think that it is a huge lesson to have compassion on people that didn't have any.. but i didn't like his reaction when getting out of the plane seeing so many people receiving him as a hero.. its like he didn't show no regreat on what he have done!! But well, i don't want to judge him..maybe hes reaction was for another reasons..

There are many that feel that this has more to do with international relations (specifically UK and Libya) than human compassion. I don't know if that is true or not, but since I had a friend killed on that plane I am finding this a little hard to swallow.

His release makes me sick. What government agency makes this decision? Who do they answer to? The guy is a convicted mass murderer. I read a lawyer here is going to file FOI to try to see what political angles this case has.

Jordan

Bill S
That's terrible. I'm sorry for your loss.
I hope you're can find relief in that his release is extremely temporary and he may be going to something much worse than any prison here.

I'm sorry for your loss Bill

I hope it doesnt have anything to do with politics and would be ashamed of being Scottish if it was.

I do think that the most sensible thing to do would be to return him to an airport in the middle of nowhere on a small plane with no press. The reception was inevitable in those circumstances and entirely inappropriate. The US are right to be angry at that!

Just to be the devil's advocate here, I had been looking up why the sentencing took so long and why Megrahi's defense attorney suggested that he was released partially because his link to the bombing was inconclusive.

The only person who could link Megrahi to the bombing was Tony Gauci, who suddenly seemed quite unsure about the specifics shortly after the trial. He also received $2M to testify. Scotland's senior law officer at the time of the investigation basically called Gauci crazy a few years later.

If he was guilty then it's an absolute travesty that he ever see the outside of a jail cell again; however, unless he confesses before he dies I don't think I'll be undoubtedly convinced that he's guilty. You have my sympathies about your friend, Bill, as well as anyone related to any of the victims.

I had a friend on that flight, I dont know what to think. I want justice for that friend, but the way this has been handled from the beginning has been wierd.

Cpt Joseph P. Curry US Army Special Forces, I knew him when he was a green lieutenant in the 1/21st Infantry, 25th Inf Div. Schofield Barracks HI. He was a good officer.