Why Britain Should Apologize for Releasing the Lockerbie Killer -- and Why it Won't

I just received an email from a Madoff victim who is still reeling from the double-whammy of having watched his wealth vanish, and learning that the soft-spoken financier he considered a friend is in fact a crook -- possibly it's now been reported -- with cancer. (Prison authorities deny this). He wrote me: "I hope the government is smart enough not to do what Scotland did and give him compassionate release to fight his cancer."

Ouch.

I am not Scottish but I am British -- which, in terms of the disgraceful release of the Libyan Abdel Basset al-Megrahi, 57, jailed for killing the 270 people, mostly Americans, who died in the Lockerbie bombing -- on "compassionate" grounds on account of his terminal cancer -- is just as bad. No one I've spoken to in Britain believes that the Scots would have handed over a massive murderer who is a global symbol of state-sponsored terrorism, without checking it out with the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who is, after all, Scottish. (And no, I do not buy the argument that the Scottish National Party was just following its "normal" legal trajectory in releasing him -- there is nothing "normal" about the scope of this man's crime; nor do I buy the argument that his conviction was about to be squashed, so they decided to let him out anyway. If that were actually true there would -- and should -- be a public detailed report showing the world, particularly the victims' relatives, exactly what was unjust about locking him up in the first place.)

Then there are those damning insidious remarks of Libyan dictator Col. Muammar Gaddafi thanking, among others, the Queen, Prince Andrew (a so-called "Special Representative" for British trade) and Brown for their assistance, as well as open admissions by British trade experts as to the "helpfulness" of the release, leaving many to conclude, despite denials, that the deal was done in exchange for Libyan oil.

As a Briton who has lived in the U.S. for twelve years, I feel strongly that we should apologize unreservedly to all families who lost their loved ones in the bombing. This, however, is unlikely to happen. Instead the British government will lay all the responsibility at the feet of the Scots and find a diversion as fast as possible. (Am I the only one sufficiently cynical to find it utterly fascinating that Gordon Brown should choose this moment, above all others, to pontificate here on the Huffington Post about how much he cares about promoting women's rights -- particularly in Africa?)

I hate to admit it, but the truth is my country has an appalling record when it comes to choosing between trade and moral principles.

For exhibit A, I give you the sudden closure in 2006 of the investigation by the British Serious Fraud Office into the alleged bribery of Saudi officials by executives at British Aerospace (BAE) in the 1988 $64 billion arms deal known as Al Yamamah (The Dove).

Though then British Prime Minister Tony Blair insisted the inquiry was not closed for "economic" reasons -- ("national security" was cited instead) -- most people believed that the chief reason the investigation, which was honing in on relevant Swiss bank accounts, suddenly stopped, was because the Saudis threatened to back out of a new arms deal with BAE, known as Typhoon, for 72 fighter planes and billions of dollars. Last year it was revealed that the Saudis had also threatened to withdraw cooperation in terrorism matters -- but who is to know what mattered most in the eyes of the British government? As the late Robin Cook, who had served as Foreign secretary to Blair, wrote sarcastically in his 2003 memoir: " I never once knew No 10 [home of the British Prime Minister] to come up with any decision that would be incommoding to British Aerospace. "

Because the BAE investigation was largely a localized British (and obviously Saudi) issue the national press reacted angrily for a while but then the brouhaha died down. (The US Justice Department is said to be picking through the alleged money laundering aspect -- supposedly done through the now defunct DC bank, Riggs Bank -- but when was the last time we heard about that?)

From England, my father tells me that the release of the Lockerbie bomber will soon too be forgotten. "I think the government thinks there will be a ten-day fuss and then everyone will move on," he said. He added with a resigned tone. "You have to remember we are run by a bunch of complete incompetents."

Incompetents who don't even put something as tumultuous and divisive as releasing a mass murderer who also happens to be a global political hot potato, to a vote? ...Americans may either be weary of or sickened by the current healthcare reform uproar -- but at least this side of the Atlantic there is a public debate about things that matter.

Imagine if Bernie Madoff were to have cancer and as my acquaintance, his victim, put it, he were to be released like the Lockerbie killer? There would, no doubt, rightly be outrage in the streets.

Americans should be proud that they live in a place where protest is still vibrant and, unlike my father, they don't feel hopelessly repressed and depressed. And as for me? On behalf of my countrymen, I apologize -- unreservedly.

Update: Watch Vicky Ward discuss this post on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Thursday, August 27:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Follow Vicky Ward on Twitter: www.twitter.com/VickyPJWard

Comments

[antirepublocrat]

The author says, "No one ... believes that the Scots would have ... without checking it out with the British ... nor do I buy the argument that his conviction was about to be squashed.... If that were actually true there would -- and should -- be a public detailed report showing ... what was unjust ...."

This author is either extremely naive or worse. To continue where she left off, I don't believe the Brits would have approved the release by the Scots without checking with Washington first. Whether or not the conviction would have been squashed on appeal is quite beside the point, now isn't it? Vicky is correct, an appeal would have required a public, detailed report showing exactly how the U.S. corrupted the trial process and bought witnesses. We wouldn't want that, now, would we? Much better to tell the Brits via "quiet" diplomacy to find a way to avoid the whole appeal process altogether. So much the better if it can ultimately be blamed on the Scots, just more evidence the Scots are not ready for home rule.

[MSGH]

He wasn't released to "fight his cancer"; he was released to die at home with his family. He has terminal cancer with a life expectancy of 3 months: that is the point at which Scottish law REQUIRES he be released on compassionate grounds. Much as the US keeps breaking its own laws, it has no right to try to make other counties break theirs.

I just came back from Scotland. Everyone I talked to there approved of the release: both because they valued compassion over vindictiveness and because they weren't at all convinced that he was guilty. Many thought he was an innocent man who was railroaded--partly at the behest of the American government who wanted a quick arrest and conviction and who wanted to get at Gaddafi. The Scottish newspapers pointed out that the families of the Scottish victims were satisfied; it was only the Americans who weren't, and they blamed the US government for that.

[taysider]

like that is ever going to happen ,only the yanks are ever sinned against in their parochial view of the world, And I would be grateful if this smug supercilious so called reporter would not appologise on my or anyone else`s behalf. who knows a stictch up when they see one,the guy was done up like a kipper,and you can bet your ass he would have walked at his appeal if it had been allowed to go ahead,but of course it wasnt ,and could never be allowed to see the light of day.The crown office would have dragged it out until he died rather than have his appeal go ahead.

[trccommission]

Well said Fred.

[Alabama John]

White Europeans are holy -- Dam all who bow not to their supremacy.

To protect the oil rights of Europeans our USS Vincennes shot down an Iran jet liner. Then six months later someone in retaliation bombed a European jet liner over Lockerbie. Two acts of war by two people who would prefer peace instead of war.

Now contrary to this article by a European, and all of western mainstream media, all owned by rich Europeans, the real issue here is not should the past acts be forgiven, but should present acts come to a screeching halt? For the root cause of the problem then is the same as it surely is now, Europeans stealing Middle East oil.

[rudolph]

Britain did not release Megrahi; Scotland did. And the correct term is the United Kingdom, not Britain. The lady makes all sorts of connections among possible causes and possible effects without much logic and with even less evidence.

[Dyeboust]

$2m Witness Payment, Bogus Forensic Evidence and Pentagon Memo Blaming Iran:
Interesting article here:
How Lockerbie bomber appeal threatened Scottish justice

By ANTONIA HOYLE and FIDELMA COOK

'There may well be political manoeuvres behind his release but at the heart was a decision to save the face of the Scottish judiciary - in particular the Crown Prosecution, who would have been shown to have been involved in an abuse of process by non-disclosure of witness statements.'
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article23360.htm

Also, see the story of Wilbert Coffin and the result of U.S. pressure to kill citisens in other countries:
Abolishion of capital punishment in Canada.

[jaundicedview]

Perhaps Scotland, suffering as so much of the world has done under British Rule,is viewing the larger situation (incarceration) through a the lens of compassion. Retribution is not the only reason to lock a person away. There is also the more pragmatic and less lizard brained motive of isolating a dangerous individual from the public at-large for the common good. A man in the terminal stages of cancer, it could be argued, is not going to be able to do much harm, though in this case, his political impact may have been underestimated. Kudos to Scotland for being strong enough to be compasiionate (we in the US could learn a lot from them) Shame on Khadaffi for making political hay of the situation.

[Billious]

Well you go that wrong. Were you unaware that new evidence, not made available to the original trial, had been uncovered by the Lockerbie families? This evidence convinced the Lockerbie families that al-Megrahi was innocent and that it would also expose the fact the the US and UK know a great deal more about what happened than they have ever admitted. Notice how no reperesentative of the Lockerbie families has been seen or heard of during this whole fiasco. In fact I've noticed a massive media silence since they announced that they had uncovered this evidence. Sending al-Megrahi home ensures that the involvement of US security forces in the bombing will never be made public as there cannot be the retrial that his lawyers were working towards. The Scottish government did the US a big favour. That's oyur government off the hook and all you can do is complain.
! say, I say, I say, how can you tell when a politician is lying? .....

[MikeDu]

Ah, I was going to comment that at the time al-Megrahi was widely thought to be a scape-goat. That the "Lockerbie problem" was getting in the way of business transactions so the guy was selected (by Qadaffi?) to take the fall. That was the widely held view at the time. Now, hes become the 'convicted mastermind' in the press.

[Rubiconski]

Scotland released al-Megrahi not Britain.

Why should anyone apologize....he was innocent.

[cosmo9]

As a Scot I am behind the Scottish governements decision to release this man to die at home. I think he is probably innocent but that is almost beside the point. We have shown ourselves to be charitable and that we can show compassion (unlike the "christian" Americans). I see no reason to apologise for that Miss, and please dont be apologising on our behalf when you have nothing to do with it.

When I see America apologising for shooting down Iranian airliners of handing in terrorists that they harbour from justice, or prosecuting American servicemen responsible for civilian massacres, maybe then you will be in a position to lecture, but until that day just keep it to yourself.

[apduncan1]

You forgot to add the Cubana Airlines plane in 1976 bombed by Luis Posada Carriles.

And where is Luis Posada Carriles, the CIA contractor, you ask? Well, until recently he was a happy go lucky guy free in Florida courtesy of Jeb Bush and his brother George W Bush.

[langej]

Britain did not release Megrahi, Scotland did.
Unless one feels that the central government should interfere in all judicial decisions, Britain has no standing.

[Garioch]

We had a choice. We could follow our own laws and do what has been done on every other occasion a convicted murderer has been found to have a terminal disease and release him on compassionate grounds or keep and almost certainly innocent man in jail till he died making him the one exception so that we didn't upset the U.S.
WE choose to follow our own laws. When the U.S. has their own house in order then they might have some moral right to pontificate and criticize our laws but until then the idea of the U.S. state attempting to paint Scotland as immoral for following our laws and craven in bowing to outside interests is nothing short of laughable and insulting as we could be here all day pointing out instances of the U.S. throwing what's right out the window when it gets in the way of economic interests not least with Libya.

[paulcanning]

Can we have a bit of balance here on HuffPost and see something from a British person supporting the release?

Could make points such as:

1. There are many reasons to think that the appeal would succeed such as ...
2. It is a bit rich of Americans to demand apologies when none have ever been offered to the Iranian victims of the airliner shot down by USS Vincennes six months before Lockerbie
3. Actually yes, Scotland does make its own decisions on such matters. that's what devolution means.

[apduncan1]

You forgot to add the Cubana Airlines plane in 1976 bombed by Luis Posada Carriles.

And where is Luis Posada Carriles, the CIA contractor, you ask? Well, until recently he was a happy go lucky guy free in Florida courtesy of Jeb Bush and his brother George W Bush.

[paulcanning]

Of course - I do know about that. But the non-apology to innocent Iranians throws this incident into particularly sharp relief. Or should.

Incidentally, at the time George Bush Snr said:

"I'll never apologize for the United States of America, ever. I don't care what the facts are."

[morgan1]

I don't know which America you are referring to but the one where "protests work" is not it. The last time revolution of the masses and being pissed off worked was when we ended the war in Vietnam and Nixon was forced out. We have been trying to get universal healthcare since FDR and the GOP has stopped it each time or bought and owned Dems. Since the '60's the Far Right made certain the press was controlled, the message was controlled and the people would never be able to almost bring down the govt. again. As for the Lockerbie "bomber"--There is ample proof this man was framed and tossed by his own govt. like a lamb to the slaughter. The US has buried documents on this case as has the UK. You need to get your facts together. From where I sit, this man was a victim of political expedience--Libya got what it wanted. The US got what it wanted. It was Win-win except for the poor man put in prison for a crime it seems he never committed. Wow. When was the last time this occurred? Gitmo. Abu Ghraib. Bagram. And these are the most current. Whatever you may believe you are, you are no journalist.

[Tavallai]

It's clearly time Scotland got its independence from British (and by association, American) hegemony.