Lockerbie bomber released.

[Kathy Ellen]

Originally Posted by cigar898

Wanna bet there will be a parade.....at least in his home town.......

There was...just saw it on the news....cheering, shaking hands, smiles.....as he walked off the plane...he is a hero

[spot]

That twenty minute press conference quoted by Bill Sikes and gmc is one of the finest pieces of argument I've read in years. It's most easily read in full at The Times

The reason for the release says it was completely unconnected with the prisoner's abandonment of his appeal. I'm not sure I find that altogether believable. Either the appeal or a full independent enquiry would have dragged a lot more evidence out from under assorted stones. The fact that neither will now be held will disappoint quite a few of the families who lost people as a result of the bombing.

Congratulations to Kenny MacAskill, the Scottish Justice Secretary, for his reasoning though. "In Scotland, we are a people who pride ourselves on our humanity. It is viewed as a defining characteristic of Scotland and the Scottish people. The perpetration of an atrocity and outrage cannot and should not be a basis for losing sight of who we are, the values we seek to uphold, and the faith and beliefs by which we seek to live". It's not often I've been so favourably impressed by a political statement.

[Kathy Ellen]

I do respect the decisions of the Scottish government and know they would not make this decision lightly, but also feel such compassion for the families left behind. I still have nightmares about tragedies like this that happened in the UK, African, and USA terroristic bombings

[buttercup]

Originally Posted by gmc

Just for once I'm quite pleased with the SNP.

I knew you'd come round

[buttercup]

Originally Posted by gmc

If you think mercy and compassion should only be extended to those seen as deserving I think you misunderstand what the words mean.

[spot]

Originally Posted by Kathy Ellen

I still have nightmares about tragedies like this that happened in the UK, African, and USA terroristic bombings

The shame of Americans is the way they selectively close their eyes to outrages like Iran Air Flight 655 when discussing these things. It's not an irrelevant example either. When you get a President capable of saying "I will never apologize for the United States of America" you really ought to know the world's got a problem.

[Chookie]

Originally Posted by spot

....Either the appeal or a full independent enquiry would have dragged a lot more evidence out from under assorted stones. The fact that neither will now be held will disappoint quite a few of the families who lost people as a result of the bombing.

That I feel, is the most unfortunate aspect of the matter. There are many unanswered questions surrounding flight 103. Here are a few:-

1. Where was the bomb put on board?
2. Why was the break-in to the PanAm luggage area at Heathrow covered up?
3. Who benefits?
4. What was the role of Achmed Ghibril?
5. Why did the witness who identified al-Megrahi (as a buyer of clothing) paid millions by the US government?
6. What role was played by the USS Vincennes?

These and all the other questions will not now be answered.

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by gmc

some will some won't. We tend not to go for the eye for an eye approach to things. There was always doubt about his conviction- It seems to be mainly the american relatives that seem to want to get someone to pay the price whether it was really him or not. There has always been considerable doubt as to his guilt and that he was the only one involved.

I wondered how long it would take before it all started coming back on Americans.

[Kathy Ellen]

Spot,

Why don't you also consider the shames of your own government as we think about past injustices of all of our governments throughout history.

[spot]

Originally Posted by Kathy Ellen

Spot,

Why don't you also consider the shames of your own government as we think about past injustices of all of our governments throughout history.

Because, as I wrote, it's not an irrelevant example - it's an airliner, it's unjustifiable and it's the same year. If you want to bring in your own examples by all means do. The only reason I posted was the deliberate patriotic selectivity of "I still have nightmares about tragedies like this that happened in the UK, African, and USA terroristic bombings". A bit less selectivity might oil the path to peaceable coexistence on this planet but instead the US hands out gallantry medals, of all things, to incompetents or worse who destroy civil airliners. It all seems to depend on who gives the order to kill.