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Ministers deny that Lockerbie bomber will be moved to Libya

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Published Date: 20 April 2009
By Hamish Macdonell
MINISTERS moved quickly yesterday to dismiss suggestions that they were preparing to transfer the Lockerbie bomber to Libya to serve out the remainder of his sentence.
They were reacting to the decision of the Crown Office to write to the families of the victims informing them about the prisoner transfer agreement with Libya, which is due to come into force at the end of this month.

That sparked renewed speculation that ministers were preparing to send Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi home because he has terminal cancer.

But a spokesman for the First Minister insisted yesterday that no decision would be taken on Megrahi's future until a formal application for his return to Libya had been received.

Megrahi's appeal is due to start shortly after the agreement comes into force on 27 April, meaning it is unlikely he will be able to submit an application for transfer for at least several months – no-one can apply while they are appealing.

A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: "It will be for the Scottish ministers to decide on any application for prisoner transfer."



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  • Last Updated: 19 April 2009 11:57 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Lockerbie
 
1

ultravires,

Edinburgh 20/04/2009 00:23:29
"But a spokesman for the First Minister insisted yesterday that no decision would be taken on Megrahi's future until a formal application for his return to Libya had been received"

Conveniently shipped off home to avoid any messy verdict to explain the huge amounts of unexplained,and followed by a big cheque for the FM's party perhaps ?
2

Brianwci,

20/04/2009 00:29:21
This is pathetic. He will obviously be released so do it immediately.

Any gratitude from family, friends and indeed the people of Libya will evaporate if he dies before the official release or within days of it.

The fact that there is real doubt about his guilt should make the choice easy, for human beings at least....
3

ultravires,

Edinburgh 20/04/2009 00:34:16
2
"The fact that there is real doubt about his guilt should make the choice easy, for human beings at least...."

Absolutely - pity we don't seem to have any human beings in Government or in our legal system & courts.
4

Ruthe,

Haywards Heath 20/04/2009 01:16:35
Megrahi will be welcomed in Libya as a hero for having been convicted of a crime he didn't do by a corrupt judiciary. The victims' families are no doubt being deceived that this is a prisoner exchange. The last place Megrahi will be going to is prison and quite rightly. He has endured enough.
5

Ruthe,

Haywards Heath 20/04/2009 01:28:21
So the UK government, the three judges, the prosecution and probably Megrahi's defence will all be let off scot-free. No trial for them to discover whether they conspired to alter the course of justice and send an innocent man to prison and severely damaged his family.

And to the people of Scotland, your SNP leader, a member of the Privy Council, appears to be nothing more than a vassal of the English government. Isn't it a bit strange that all three judges in Megrahi's trial were Privy Councillors with two of them becoming members one month before Megrahi's trial.

The Privy Council has been described as part of the secret permanent unaccountable government. Doesn't seem far off does it?
6

WL,

livingston 20/04/2009 17:34:29
He should serve his FULL prison sentence in SCOTLAND.
7

Observer,,

Glasgow 20/04/2009 17:38:03
That seems a bit harsh considering that he didn't do anything and the dogs in the street know that.
8

2Right,

On Location 21/04/2009 02:14:32
Please Mr Megrahi, do not abandon your appeal

Our Justice system needs brought to their knees.

"What a choice our Corrupt Mr Gordon is giving Mr Megrahi"

Die in a rotten stinking Scottish Jail or "Drop Your Appeal" (So we can save face) and live the remainder of your limited life with your family.

I would probably choose my Family with a will that they must pursue this when I was dead, but knowing our Scottish system the way I do they will put a clause in the release that none of his family will ever be able to appeal.

I wonder where exactly this would leave campaigners like Jim Swire though, who after all are entitled to know who killed their loved ones on that awful day in 1988.

Though they have denied it I fear a decision has already been made in this case
9

Anwer,

Canada 21/04/2009 03:55:01
Oh please he was never even fairly convicted of it, this is the corrupt world we live in, corrupt governments everywhere nothing we can do about it. Just the greed of the family for money when there was no evidence to really convict him and it was basically fabricated to accuse him. It would be a heavy, great, thought through one man show though if he was able to get through all the security and bomb a huge plane. Maybe it was that a man at the shop himself who never even showed up on the day of his trial a liar and a coward who ran away and noone ever demanded real documents from the courts ruled by corrupt leaders we have to like be listen to their orders to live civilized, greedy they make money off every lie they do
10

Brianwci,

21/04/2009 12:15:14
It's situations like this which make you wonder if Scottish Independence isn't just going to be more of the same but wearing a kilt.

So far the Scots Government including this SNP Government which I support hasn't shown much of an independent liberal spirit.

And of course, if the anodyne Lib Dems only knew it we are all looking desperately for a strong liberal voice in a country where the phrase 'Police State' is being heard with increasing regularity even among the middle and professional classes.

Your role Lib Dems is to rush back to your Liberal roots and lay the groundwork for a left of centre liberal independent Scotland.

I can assure any party that is where the people will turn to post independence if the SNP doesn't show more in the way of social liberalism.

YET AGAIN Holland is top of the European League for happy stable children as it has in the past for children and adults alike.

WHY? Liberal relaxed society as opposed to a Repressed and increasingly fearful society.

I'm not one for Empires but my God I would prefer the spirit of Empire builders and go getters any time to the frog spawn we are creating in the UK today.

 

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