Al Megrahi Released.

[pa_broon74]

Scottish Justice minister Kennie McAskill has order the compassionate release of Abdel after having served only 8 years of a 27 year sentence.

A legal appeal by Megrahi was dropped in anticipation of the release.

https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/8197370.stm

Soooo....

Good or bad, right or wrong...

Personally, it was a long time ago and I believe a society can be judged by how it treats its prisoners; it was the right thing to do. American's are up in arms as are some Brits. All sorts of anti-Scots sentiments are rearing their ugly heads etc etc...

What do you think?


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Didn't catch anything.

[map]

It might have fallen out of the sky in 1988 but the guy has only been locked up since 2001.

So 8 years for murder - way too short

To play the compassion card they could have kept him inside until actually hospitalised like they did recently with Ronnie Biggs, although his health seems to have improved once released

They say he's only 3 months to live. Guess they'll look pretty stupid if he's still around at Christmas then.
Didn't Pinochet get sent home after similar medical expert advice only to be seen well and health.

So, in summary, no justice for the murdered and their relatives, a bad decision.
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...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?

[The Shaggy D.A.]

Should have been left for the cancer to rot him to death in solitary confinement, with nothing but bacon and water.
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[UnknownStuntm...]

Life should mean life. Simple.

[bazza]

Seems a cheap price to pay for access to all that Libyan oil - which is why the septics are so pissed off...
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[Phoenix]

Well that no doubt is the reason he was released but it doesn't change the fact that it is so obviously wrong. Killed 270 people and gets to go home to die with his family, did all the people on the plane get to even say goodbye to their families, the guy should be hanging in a cage getting pecked to death by crows.

[bazza]

[Nufkamp]

At the risk of soundling like one of those nut-job conspiracy theorists, wasn't there something said back in 2001 about him just being a patsy?
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[instigator]

Was kind of sitting on the fence myself - I do like the fact that we didn't bend over for the Americans regardless.

What I object to is the hero's welcome her got when his plane landed.

[tatters]

[Ste]

[colin1]

I suspect, he was released to avoid him getting off on appeal, due to dodgy evidence in the original trial.

Why else would they release him ?

Arguably, he has been robbed of the opportunity to prove his innocence.

Big crime, big pressure to find the criminal, sometimes anyone will do, if you can make a few facts point to him.
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[Mister James]

[pa_broon74]

I just wonder what went on in the background. Scotland by its self has little to gain by currying favour from Libya but the UK may do, but since it was an SNP minister who granted the release, I wonder what got horse traded in the back ground.

It's interesting to see the steadfast belief in his conviction under the current climate of conspiracy regarding the wars etc etc etc. It seemed to me the US government were just going through the motions of dissent in terms of this release; I wonder if they wanted Al Megrahi released to assuage relations with Libya (access to oil and valuable contracts perhaps) and in the process left Scotland and McAskill swinging in the wind to take the flak?

I'm not a huge fan of Kenny McAskill, he's a knee jerk politician far to keen on pandering to headlines in the less intelligent newspapers, (air weapons for example and the SNP's mission to make them illegal.)

I don't know how effective the new appeal would've been, but as far as I can read, the evidence at the original trials was cirumstantial. Maybe they felt a new appeal would be successful but by the time they'd gone through the motions, the guy would be dead and Scotland would then be bearing the rbunt of that backlash instead of this one.

Personally, I think it was the right thing to do, (celebrations not with-standing.) I think the ability to show compassion is what sets us apart. Although his return is being celebrated, are they cheering the downing of the plane, or the release of an 'innocent' man?


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Didn't catch anything.

[Mudskipper]

I wondered if the current EU-Libya Framework Agreement negotiations had any bearing?
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[funmonkee]

[Ol]

i'm not one of those "eye for an eye" stalker type people.. but i reckon that it's bang out of order letting him go after only 8 years, and i think it annoyed me more seeing that he got a heroes welcome when he got off the plane..

i mean, if an english man killed 250+ people abroad and was locked up for it, i'd hate to think that he'd get anything less than two broken legs when he got back to england?!?

i remember there was rumours that he was just the "fall guy" in the bombing, but as HE's the one taking responsibility for it and HE's the one in prison for it... then he should stay there for the full sentence...

... or until the scum bag is 6 feet under - whichever comes first !!

Sorry for the rant..
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[pa_broon74]

I think if you believe the world to be black and white/cut & dried then fair enough, feel free to disagree. I haven't perused the initial case or the details of the first appeal but I suspect you haven't either.

All I would say is, I'm content for him to be released as it shows that as a society we have a capacity for compassion even under duress.

Personally, I have a mistrust of government and with what I know now in terms of how far governments will go to meet their own selfish ends, for me, it just casts to much doubt. He's always maintained his innocence.

I know, he would say that. But just as you all are basing your judgement on what you've been told by the press, (read; government.) I'm doing the same and while I'm not exactly coming to the opposite conclusion, I am certainly coming to one that involves a sack-load of doubt.

If he was healthy then I'd advocate a retrial (and he stays incarcerated for the duration.) But he's not, he's terminally ill. I have no sympathy for him, but I do have compassion in the sense that I have a nominal amount reserved for humanity in general.

I understand why the families would be upset, but I think you have to take their reaction and mitigate it with whats gone on since then. The Scottish families involved have largely moved on and away from the area, its the US families who are being vocal, I would posit; their views are somewhat skewed by the US press which is far more vitriolic and opinionated than ours.

In the wider view...

I suppose it comes down to the question: Who blinks first? We could go on and on attacking and counter-attacking but eventually someone has to (I suppose) swallow their pride and offer an olive branch.

I would say it's the braver society that takes that first step...

I know that sounds like a lot of hippy, leftish crap; maybe it is. But if a situation is cut and dried then go for it, destroy! If there is no doubt whatsoever; do what is necessary.

But if like this (the wider geo-political view) it's an entrenched self-perpetuating vicious circle; then somebody has to make a gesture. While this is a wishy washy view point, those are my thoughts. At the end of the day, I imagine the true motivations for his release are altogether less well meaning and someone or some organisation or government will profit in some way from it.

I would say at this time though, if after 6 months he's still kicking his heels in Tripoli, I'll change my view.


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Didn't catch anything.

[Mister James]

I don't understand why you are suggesting that the trial (you're aware it was one of the most scrutinised trials ever, held in a neutral country?) and subsequent appeal were corrupted by some malign government conspiracy - based on a vague feeling that you 'know' what governments are like.

You're right to suggest that you can tell a lot about a society from how they treat their prisoners. You have shown yourselves to be weak - ready to pander to people like this to make some sanctimonious point, while enraging our allies and the victims of this CONVICTED MURDERER.

Enjoy the anti-Scots sentiment, your feeble excuse for a government have earned you it.

[funmonkee]

IMHO .. You break the law you pay the price. You speed, and are caught you get a ticket. You murder and stand trial, are found guilty, you get a life sentence.


The eye for an eye stalker comment ... WTF does eye for and eye have to do with this situation The convicted criminal (that's what he is), wasn't blownup in an aircraft was he That would be eye for eye.... he was convicted and sent to prison. Millons were undoubtly spent setting up a trial in a neutral country etc... FFS thats how we show we are a civilised community...he got his right to a trial.

Just so it's clear... there was a trial and he was convicted. He appealled and failed.

We all have to live by these rules.

IMHO he was convicted and should have spent more that 8 years in prison for his crime.
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**** Don't ride faster than your angel can fly Get this Free Space
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[pa_broon74]

[Mister James]

[funmonkee]

[funmonkee]

[instigator]

Whassat?

Mister James? In a topic that he could perhaps share his dissent in Scotlands existance?

Well I never thought I'd see the day...