Yesterday, I wrote how Britain's Sunday Telegraph claimed that Libya paid three doctors to give the Scottish government medical evidence that Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, 57, the convicted Lockerbie killer, had only two or three months to live, when in fact he may have more.
The British Mail on Sunday, meanwhile, queried America's outrage over Megrahi's release as being "disingenuous," suggesting that, of course, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had known all along what was cooking -- as had the Department of Justice and President Obama. The paper quoted Whitehall sources as being annoyed at what they perceive as the faux reaction this side of the Atlantic. They thought it was being overdone.
My column endorsed Tory Leader David Cameron's call for an investigation into what smells like a pyramid of intricate double-dealing, with the defiant British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on its top.
Every day that passes, with Brown refusing to acknowledge that Britain's interests in Libya's oil had anything to do with Megrahi's release -- while his aides leak otherwise -- the more tenuous his position atop Britain looks.
I got so many emails about this column, some agreeing with the Mail, that the Americans must have known, that I made some calls this morning to the US State department, the US Justice Department and Kenny MacAskill's office. I found some answers to the allegations thrown out by the British press over the weekend. All of them contradicted what had been reported.
First, to deal with the Mail: According to MacAskill's parliamentary office, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke to Scottish Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill on the phone a week before he made his decision about Megrahi on August 20th. MacAskill told Sec. Clinton he had not yet made up his mind what to do. She reiterated to him that the American position was clear. Megrahi must not be released. He had American blood on his hands. Enough to drown in. He must serve his sentence in a Scottish jail.
The two had no further contact until the day of Megrahi's release, says MacAskill's office. (It being a holiday here, the State department said they'd have to call back tomorrow to confirm this). MacAskill's office says on August 20th he called the US embassy in London to say he'd be speaking in ten minutes and to ask what he would say. Secretary Clinton publicly and privately expressed her outrage. So, too, did President Obama.
MacAskill has written back to Sec. Clinton. So far, the contents of that letter are private.
Then to the Telegraph: MacAskill did not receive the reports of the three Libyan doctors stating Megrahi had only three months to live until after he had released Megrahi, says MacAskill's office, so whatever they said was in vain. "He based his decision on prison services doctors," says MacAskill's office. "Those letters didn't even get here on time."
Finally, to all those who would love to think that the Americans are secretly endorsing the British on this: I refer you to the spokesman in the US Justice Department this morning. "We most certainly did not know what they'd decided," he said. He told me of a female FBI officer who had "worked very closely with the victims families and still does... when she found out, as MacAskill was speaking, that Megrahi was being released, what she had to say was unprintable."
So once again, I reiterate what I wrote yesterday. David Cameron must be allowed to hold the swift investigation he wants and retrieve the facts about this whole messy affair. And perhaps Britain's Mail on Sunday should look for "disingenuousness" within its own country's government -- before pointing fingers over here.
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Heather Robinson: The Scots and the Terrorist: He That Pities the Brute
It seems pity is all too often reserved for people who commit acts of absolute, irrevocable evil. The worse the offense, the more automatic must be the mercy towards the perpetrator.
Vicky Ward: The Lockerbie Cover-Up Must Be Investigated
The Sunday Telegraph claims that Libya paid three doctors for medical evidence that Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, the convicted Lockerbie killer, had only two or three months to live.
Heba Morayef: Lockerbie And Libya's Other Internal Wars: The Families' Pain
How does a former pariah state deal with gross human rights abuses of the past? The UK, U.S. and Italy should encourage Libya to address the past, rather than allow all to be forgiven in the name of petrodollars.
This is particularly true with Britain. After all, the Obama administration threatened to cut off intelligence sharing with the Brits if they let Binyam Mohamed's torture suit go forward. The lesson here is that you can't crap on your friends for years and expect them to stay your friends. We've treated their people and government with contempt, is it really a surprise that they are returning the sentiment.
So! Let's get this straight: America is in no way complicit in this affair because a spokesman in the US Justice department told you so?
Grow up.
Most likely Iran was behind Lockerbie as a perfectly justified retaliation for the shooting down of an Iranian airliner by a US warship, but by the time of the prosecution real politik required the US to suck up to Iran for support in the Iraq war.
The quid pro quo for Al Megrahi's release was that he drop his appeal which if continued risked embarrassing the Scottish Justice system and the FBI.
Niavely you believe what spokesman for your Goverment say, do you really think that if US agencies pressed for the scuttling Al Megrahi's appeal that US spokesman would admit that or say anything that would imply it. Of course the US will act outraged.
I'm trying to figure out why Khadaffi is still alive and why no seems to be able to find Osama. Stop worrying about the street-level pushers and go after the suppliers, people. Cut off the head and the cancer dies with it.
The fact that the actual perpetrators are probably smirking somewhere is meaningless to those who'd rather raise holy hell over a really bad case.
A large part of the blame for American ignorance goes to the media and especially publications such as Vanity Fair which presumably employs literate people who can research the facts. But that would get in the way of infotainment journalism.
Let's look into whether US firms lost the bidding for Libyan oil -- that may give us a clue about all the outrage.
Let's try for a little perspective.
Libya abandoned its quest for nuclear weapons and has opened commercial and trade relations with the world. Gaddafi is something of a loon and has blood on his hands, as do George W. Bush and Cheney, among others --and their crimes are more recent.
On the flip side you have the Scots who justified the release of the bomber because 25 years later after the attack, the US government has behaved terribly in Iraq and the War on Terror. This made it acceptable to dismiss the American victims’ families and the Obama Administrations appeal. In other words, George Bush and the Neo-Cons are terrible people, thus all Americans are guilty of their crimes.
Either from the liberal Scottish point of view or the conservative English point of view its America’s fault, no matter what. This meme is not limited to Lockerbie bomber. Finger pointing and blaming the United States for problems in the UK has become the dominate meme in British society. It’s much easier to blame the US than to hold the UK own government or financial sector accountable. Sadly this meme is not limited to the UK.
The only reason there are calls from the Tories to investigate the bombers release at all is because it can further damage the Labour Party and Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Megrahi's release was always going to be an unpopular decision, polls in the uk clearly demonstrate this. Unitl an investigation has actually taken place, this never-ending trial by media will continue. Mud has been slung for political gain, with politicians wrapping themselves in the blood of the slain passengers. Frankly it's dishonest, and until MacCaskill admits otherwise, I will give him the benefit of the doubt, not some hearsay from the Daily Mail no less.
The latest Scottish Opinion poll now suggests that those who think that the release of al Megrahi was correct and those who think it was wrong are balanced at 45% - with even 28% of Scottish Conservatives thinking it was correct. Also noticeable that a majority of the oldest and best educated/most affluent Scots - i.e. those least affected by tabloid journalism - now think it was a correct decision. Perhaps freeing a dieing man for oil was not as bad as starting off a war for oil which led to the death of hundreds of thousands of people.
You think too much of Britain's place in the world.
Ms Ward seems to think that the mass of the British people will share her and David Cameron's synthetic rage over this issue. I was suggesting that this may not be so - no more no less. There are other far more serious issues facing the UK. - as I think you may know. I gave an example of one of them in my previous posting.
Dozens to hundreds of US troops raped and killed 300 to 500 unarmed Vietnamese women and children.
One man served 3 years house arrest for it.
Then there is "Operation Speedy Express", which was a My Lai a month for a year.
If we want others to stop showing mercy to war criminals and those who terrorize civilians, we need to start begin at home.
You're the bleating voice of a country long past it's significance in world affairs.
I remind you that was a Scottish court - 'reasonable court'.
'Patently false' - are you the mayor of truth town? Did you read this in a paper? If so, then do you know that you are finding justification for some other part of your personality that needs to be right? An intellectual eunuch that can stand to take any information to prove their feelings are correct?
'Paid for handsomely by the US.' You don't think we'd rather have the truth, do you?
I am heartened by your obvious bitterness, and the idea that you react this way in all your personal dealings. It means your children are constantly berated, and your wife is having an affair, or would wish too. It means that old age for you is a cage of your own preconceptions, and the blood pressure of someone who has long missed the point, and won't admit it.
Funny how people are their own best punishment.
A Scottish court yes, but not a jury of the people. The case was decided by 3 High Court judges and they clearly came to a political judgement, why else was the co-accused acquitted?
Paid handsomely. The main witness, the Maltese shopkeeper was paid $millions by the US gov and relocated to another country as thanks for his testimony.
Look it all up, its all out there. I'd suggest Vicky Ward do the same thing.
Yes her assertion that he was released on the recommendation of Libyan doctors was false, patently false. What this has to do with my feelings I have no idea.
No idea what to say about the rest of it... stay away from the drinks cabinet will probably do best.
I also wonder this: lets say Megraghi was able to carry out his appeal in the Scottish courts and a decision was made not in his favor, could he appeal to the Privy Council court, the ultimate court for all of the UK?