Lockerbie Bomber Hailed As Hero In Tripoli

[Full Bug]

Lockerbie Bomber Hailed As Hero In Tripoli

Abdel Baset al-Megrahi Released On Compassionate Grounds; Scottish Government Under Fire From All Over Globe


"This is absolutely ludicrous and insane," said Bert Ammermann, whose brother was killed on the PanAm flight.

To many, Abdel Baset al-Megrahi ascending the stairs of an Airbus jet for the flight back to Libya represents either a miscarriage of justice or the death of the truth in the 1988 terrorist bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland.

"Compassion and mercy are about upholding the beliefs that we seek to live by remaining true to our values of the people, no matter the severity of the provocation or the atrocity perpetrated," said Kenny MacAskill, Scotland's Justice Secretary.

The Associated Press reported thousands greeted al-Megrahi warmly when his plane from Scotland touched down at a military airport in Tripoli. Reports cited a festive atmosphere at the scene with some wearing t-shirts with al-Megrahi's picture. Others waved Libyan and Scottish flags while Libyan songs blared.

"To sit there and watch a victory convoy going to the airport … this is absolutely ludicrous and insane," said Ammermann. "We couldn't finish with even one individual? That he finished his life and his body was sent back? State terrorism won today. Big business won today."

The White House said it "deeply regrets" the Scottish decision, and U.S. family members immediately expressed outrage.

Al-Megrahi, who had served only eight years of his life sentence, was recently given only months to live after being diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. His time served amounts to about two weeks in prison for every person he killed.

Al-Megrahi has never expressed remorse for the attack, an in fact insists he had nothing to do with it. Many in the United Kingdom seem to agree and applaud the release.

"I am pleased for him because I am 85 percent convinced that he is not guilty, having sat through the whole trial in Holland, 10 months," said Rev. John Mosey, whose daughter was killed in the attack.

MacAskill said although al-Megrahi had not shown compassion to his victims - many of whom were American college students flying home to New York for Christmas - MacAskill was motivated by Scottish values to show mercy.

"In Scotland, we define ourselves by our humanity," MacAskill said. "Mr. al-Megrahi did not show his victims any comfort or compassion."

"That alone is not a reason to deny compassion to him and his family in his final days. Our justice system demands that justice be imposed but compassion be available. Our beliefs dictate that justice be shown and mercy be served," MacAskill said.

"Some hurts can never heal, some scars can never fade," MacAskill said. "Those who have been bereaved cannot be expected to forget, let alone forgive ... However, Mr. al-Megrahi now faces a sentence imposed by a higher power."

Al-Megrahi, 57, was convicted in 2001 of taking part in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 on Dec. 21, 1988. He was sentenced to life in prison. The airliner exploded over Scotland, and all 259 people aboard and 11 on the ground died when it crashed into the town of Lockerbie.

The former Libyan intelligence officer was sentenced to serve a minimum of 27 years in a Scottish prison for Britain's deadliest terrorist attack. But a 2007 review of his case found grounds for an appeal of his conviction, and many in Britain believe he is innocent.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the U.S. expressed its opposition to the decision "in the strongest terms possible," reports CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller.

"We continue to believe that Megrahi should serve out his sentence in Scotland," Gibbs said. "On this day, we extend our deepest sympathies to the families who live every day with the loss of their loved ones."

A White House official tells CBS News that Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Attorney General Eric Holder were among those to directly convey to the U.K. and to Scottish authorities the view al-Megrahi should serve out his term in Scotland, reports CBS News White House correspondent Peter Maer.

MacAskill said he stood by al-Megrahi's conviction and the sentence for "the worst terrorist atrocity ever committed on U.K. soil."

He said he ruled out sending the bomber back to Libya under a prisoner-transfer agreement, saying the U.S. victims had been given assurances that al-Megrahi would serve out his sentence in Scotland.

But he said that as a prisoner given less than three months to live by doctors, al-Megrahi was eligible for compassionate release.

"I am conscious that there are deeply held feelings and many will disagree whatever my decision," he said. "However, a decision has to be made."

The families of some American victims lashed out.

"I think it's appalling, disgusting and so sickening I can hardly find words to describe it," said Susan Cohen of Cape May Court House, N.J., whose 20-year-old daughter, Theodora, died in the attack. "This isn't about compassionate release. This is part of give-Gadhafi-what-he-wants-so-we-can-have-the-oil."

"I don't understand how the Scots can show compassion. It's an utter insult and utterly disgusting," said Kara Weipz, of Mt. Laurel, New Jersey, whose 20-year-old brother Richard Monetti was on board Pan Am Flight 103. "It's horrible. I don't show compassion for someone who showed no remorse."

The Times of London reported Thursday that the private jet of Libya's leader, Moammar Gadhafi, was to collect al-Megrahi at Glasgow Airport after he was released.

Al-Megrahi's trial and conviction led to a major shift in Libya's relationship with the West.

Gadhafi engineered a rapprochement with his former critics following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He renounced terrorism, dismantled Libya's secret nuclear program, accepted his government's responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing and paid compensation to the victims' families.

Western energy companies - including Britain's BP PLC - have moved into Libya in an effort to tap the country's vast oil and gas wealth.

Gadhafi has lobbied for the return of al-Megrahi, an issue which took on an added sense of urgency when he was diagnosed with cancer last year. His lawyers say his condition is deteriorating and doctors have given him less than three months to live.

The question of freeing al-Megrahi has divided Lockerbie families, with many in Britain in favor of setting him free and many in the U.S. adamantly opposed.

British Rev. John Mosey, whose daughter Helga, 19, died in the attack, said Wednesday he would be glad to see al-Megrahi return home.

"It is right he should go home to die in dignity with his family. I believe it is our Christian duty to show mercy," he said.

[Full Bug]

Raging against Pan Am bomber's freedom -- for a victim


Maybe it's because I'm of Scottish descent that I feel so ashamed today. Maybe it's because I have a hard time connecting the dots when discussions about terrorists revolve around the word "compassion" rather than "justice."

Or maybe it's because I personally knew Hanne-Marie Maijala that I'm shaking with rage as I type these words.

Hanne-Marie Maijala was brilliant and beautiful and kindhearted. We're supposed to speak well of the dead. I've never bought into such phoniness, yet, in Hanne-Marie's case, she embodied all those qualities and more.

We both attended Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute in north Toronto -- the class of '81. If anything, I wish I had gotten to know Hanne-Marie better. I wish I would've had the chutzpah to ask her out on a date. But the fact of the matter is Hanne-Marie was way, way out of my league. So, aside from meaningless chitchat in the hallways, I had to admire Hanne-Marie from afar.

And there was much to admire. Hanne-Marie was a unique specimen indeed -- brains and beauty, wit and grace. When she graduated from LPCI, she went on to Harvard. Things came so easy for Hanne-Marie.

But on Dec. 21, 1988, Hanne-Marie boarded Pan Am flight 103 for what would become an abbreviated one-way trip. Pan Am 103 blew up over Lockerbie, Scotland, and 259 passengers and crew members plus 11 people on the ground died. It ranks as one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in history.

A piece of filth called Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi was finally convicted in 2001 for his role in the bombing. He's never shown an ounce of remorse.

And yet, in a shockingly inexplicable ruling, Scotland's justice secretary, Kenny MacAskill, gave al-Megrahi a Get-Out-of-Jail-Free card. The 57-year-old former Libyan intelligence agent is suffering from terminal prostate cancer and MacAskill decided to free him for "compassionate" reasons.

Does MacAskill even know the meaning of the word "compassion"? Has he spoken to the 270 families that had to bury their loved ones thanks to al-Megrahi's atrocity? What "compassion" did al-Megrahi show for his innocent victims when he vaporized them?

If anything, al-Megrahi lucked out on in terms of geography. If Pan Am 103 had crashed in, say, Laredo, Texas as opposed to Lockerbie, Scotland, he would've received the long needle years ago.

We'll never be able to prevent acts of terrorism. New York. Bali. Mumbai. The list goes on.

But what we can control is our response to terrorism. Which is to say we shouldn't show terrorists or rogue nations "compassion." Rather, we respond with deadly force.

The success of such a tactic is, ironically, Libya itself.

In 1986, the U.S. had had enough of the "Mad Dog of the Middle East," Muammar Gaddafi. Tripoli was bombed. Gaddafi escaped harm, but his 15-month-old adopted daughter was killed and two of his sons were injured (please bear with me as I wipe a tear from my cheek; oh, never mind -- it was just a raindrop).

But the bombing made for a profound wakeup call. Only after Mo experienced some home grown suffering did he realize dispatching agents to blow up planes and discos was wrong.

Eventually, Libya stopped sponsoring terrorists and paid out $1.5 billion in compensation to victims. Apparently you can teach an old mad dog new tricks.

Indeed, terrorists understand lethal force. Naively showing them "compassion" will contribute more to our undoing than all of their bombs combined.

I don't know what Hanne-Marie Maijala would say about al-Megrahi's early release if she were alive today. After all, unlike al-Megrahi, she and 269 other victims, will never get a second chance.

As for the Libyan-bound mass-murderer, all one can hope for at this stage is that his battle with cancer will be a long, drawn-out affair. And an excruciatingly painful one at that.

[Full Bug]

This is unreal, this judge needs to be locked up himself, what a disgrace.....:barf:

[fryingdutchman]

Yup.

Nice to see Libya showing its true colors again. They've been dormant for a long time, but it just goes to show that they're the same piece of shit terrorist country that they've always been.

Seshmeister needs to weigh in here on just what the FUCK is going on in Scotland.

[ULTRAMAN VH]

And what kind of message does this send to terrorists? Basically you can get away with murder. Where is the compassion for the 279 passengers, mostly college kids who will never celebrate another Christmas, never take another college exam, never graduate, never move on to careers and start family's of their own. It is a sad day.

[Full Bug]

Seshmeister needs to weigh in here on just what the FUCK is going on in Scotland.
Yup, been waiting, SESH needs to answer for his country......;)

[Nickdfresh]

WTF is wrong with them for letting this cunt go? He has cancer? Motherfuck him and his cancer!! I knew a girl who died on that plane... Motherfuckers!!!:upyours:

[twonabomber]

woulda been funny to see the plane and tarmac explode when that fucker got off the plane.

[VanHalener]

woulda been funny to see the plane and tarmac explode when that fucker got off the plane.

Now THAT my friend I would buy tickets to and sit way back in the lawn seats enjoying the smell of burning flesh as I sip on a nice wine from France.

[sadaist]

Motherfuck him and his cancer!! I knew a girl who died on that plane...

Truly sorry to hear that man. Thoughts to you. And she did not get to come home to a hero's welcome. Makes me fucking sick. Showing him compassion? We did that by not allowing the friends & families of the fallen to get their hands on him.

I don't remember exactly, but why did we agree for him to be tried in Scotland rather than the States?

[jhale667]

WTF is wrong with them for letting this cunt go? He has cancer? Motherfuck him and his cancer!! I knew a girl who died on that plane... Motherfuckers!!!:upyours:

Sorry to hear that.

I agree, though - what was the problem, why couldn't he continue to rot in jail, just because he's terminally ill? The prison hospital wasn't good enough? :mad:

[FORD]

I don't remember exactly, but why did we agree for him to be tried in Scotland rather than the States?

Uh, because that's where the crime took place?

[sadaist]

Uh, because that's where the crime took place?

But the majority of the people were Americans...and the flight originated from Britain. Yes the plane came down in Scotland. I remember there being some hub bub about which of the 3 countries would get the case. I'll have to look it up.

[sadaist]

Here is a pretty good summary of the case. Doesn't dive into the politics of deciding where he would be tried as deep as I'd like to see, but does discuss it.

The American Society of International Law ASIL Insights - A Preview of the Lockerbie Case (http://www.asil.org/insigh44.cfm)

[WARF]

He was freed on compassionate grounds by the Scottish government?!?!

I didn't see any fucking compassion for the 270 passengers that lost their lives!

I hope Satan leaves Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, a spot open in hell next to al-Megrahi for issuing his release... and his so-called Scottish values!!

Fuck the both of them!

Get the flames ready satan!!

[Seshmeister]

Yup.

Nice to see Libya showing its true colors again. They've been dormant for a long time, but it just goes to show that they're the same piece of shit terrorist country that they've always been.

Seshmeister needs to weigh in here on just what the FUCK is going on in Scotland.

First up I knew someone who's girlfriend was nearly killed by this plus a few years ago I was in an ambulance with a paramedic who was one of the first on the scene that night and heard some horrific stories.

The thing is the Libyan guy almost certainly didn't do it. The evidence against him at the trial was as shakey as fuck and has got even shakier in time.

If he lived long enough he was going win his appeal so I think to avoid all the hassle, expense and embarrassment they let him go.

It was probably an Iranian terrorist group that blew up the plane and it sucks they got away with it. Part of the problem was the CIA fucking with witnesses causing confusion and putting the wrong people in the frame.

[Baby's On Fire]

Great reply Sesh.

Thing is, however...in the USA...anyone ACCUSED of a crime is automatically GUILTY...that's one of the probelms in the fucking USA...guilty until proven otherwise.

Maybe the towel heaed fuck is guilty....maybe not.....but never trust anything the US intelligence claims is fact....The guy was maybe hung out to dry so Khaddafy Duck could avoid more missile attacks.

Who knows.....We'll never know the truth. Except as usaul some motherfucker with a towel on his head and praising the fictitious Allah did it. Big fuckin surprise.

[Seshmeister]

This guy was found guilty in a court though.

The evidence was weak enough and then it came to light that the CIA paid the main witness a couple of million dollars and the guys story changed in each of the 18 times he was interviewed.

I'm usually not into the conspiracy theories at all but this whole thing stinks a bit because it was a flight just before Xmas yet it was 3/4s empty. There are very strong stories that warnings were given leading to a lot of US government staff in Europe not taking the flight.

It was quite a controversial decision to let him go here too but I think the difference in the attitude is that more people in Scotland are aware of how weak the case against the guy is. I don't think that's been publicized much in the US.

Also the most likely motive was not some suicide Allah thing remember this predates most of the rise of Islamic radicalism. It was most likely a revenge attack for the US shooting down the Iranian civilian plane in 1988.

Iran Air Flight 655 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_Air_Flight_655)

[Seshmeister]

This is unreal, this judge needs to be locked up himself, what a disgrace.....:barf:

The decision wasn't made by a judge it was made by the minister of justice, a politician.

[FORD]

Great reply Sesh.

Thing is, however...in the USA...anyone ACCUSED of a crime is automatically GUILTY...that's one of the probelms in the fucking USA...guilty until proven otherwise.

Maybe the towel heaed fuck is guilty....maybe not.....but never trust anything the US intelligence claims is fact....The guy was maybe hung out to dry so Khaddafy Duck could avoid more missile attacks.

Who knows.....We'll never know the truth. Except as usaul some motherfucker with a towel on his head and praising the fictitious Allah did it. Big fuckin surprise.

But ironically, this thread, and the first presumption of guilt in it, came from one of your fellow Canadians. ;)

[Baby's On Fire]

But ironically, this thread, and the first presumption of guilt in it, came from one of your fellow Canadians. ;)


No FORD.....the first presumption of guilt was anyone too stupid to realize that this towel head was the Libyan version of Lee Harvey Oswald....IMPOSSIBLE to have acted alone and clearly a scapegoat to protect those that are truly guilty of the crime......I'm disappointed you're so easily fooled and naive.

The towel headed fuck is for sure guilty of something or another...but certainly not alone in this crime.. Khaddafy Duck and the other assholes used him to deflect their own guilt.....I mean c'mon....I don't need to tell you this.....

[Seshmeister]

I don't think it's bad to have a presumption of guilt for people who have been convicted in a court. This is an unusual case.

[Seshmeister]

He was freed on compassionate grounds by the Scottish government?!?!

I didn't see any fucking compassion for the 270 passengers that lost their lives!

I hope Satan leaves Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, a spot open in hell next to al-Megrahi for issuing his release... and his so-called Scottish values!!

Fuck the both of them!

Get the flames ready satan!!

Google Cubana Flight 455 and you'll find that there are terrorists who admitted bombing a civilian flight living freely in the US who aren't about to die.

Where is the compassion for the 70 dead there and the so called American values?

[sadaist]

Here is something I saw on the news today. Not exactly the same. Wasn't 270 innocent people. But basically this lady had her man killed. Sentenced for murder. Now being set free to spend her final cancer filled days with her family.

Please take into consideration this site link is on her side so it is definitely biased.

FreeDebbie.org (http://www.freedebbie.org/)

[ULTRAMAN VH]

Lockerbie bomber release: pressure mounting on Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown is under increasing pressure to break his "astonishing" silence over the release of the Lockerbie bomber, after it was disclosed he had discussed the issue with Colonel Gaddafi six weeks ago.

By Jon Swaine
Published: 9:15PM BST 23 Aug 2009

The Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats have both demanded that Gordon Brown disclose whether he met Scottish ministers over the release Photo: AFP/GETTY
The Prime Minister, who was in Scotland when Abdulbaset al-Megrahi was released last week, was also urged to clarify whether he used the opportunity to talk with members of the Scottish administration over the matter.

Opposition spokesmen accused Mr Brown of a "complete failure of leadership" as he maintained his refusal to speak about the early release from prison of the only man convicted of Britain's worst terrorist atrocity.


Both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats demanded that Mr Brown, who is still in Scotland on his summer break, disclose whether he met Scottish ministers over the release.

Liam Fox, the shadow defence secretary, said his refusal to do so "adds disgrace to the shame of the initial decision."

He said: "We know what David Cameron thinks about it, we know what the former and current first ministers of Scotland think, we know what everyone thinks except Gordon Brown.

"When the going gets tough, Gordon Brown disappears, it's the story of his political career, it's anything but leadership."

Patrick Mercer, chairman of the Commons counter-terrorism sub-committee, said there was a risk of “long term damage to our intelligence relationship” with the US. He said unless Mr Brown made his stance clear, “there is a real danger of payback time from the U.S. on several fronts”.

As the transatlantic row over the issue intensified, Labour figures continued to heap blame on to the devolved Scottish administration - despite Colonel Gaddafi, the Libyan leader, having thanked his "friend" Mr Brown for "encouraging the Scottish government".

Jim Knight, the employment minister, also attempted to play down US anger over the affair. He said he "hoped" there would be no damage to relations despite a fierce attack on the decision by Robert Mueller, the director of the FBI.

"It is notable that the letter from the FBI rightly focused entirely on this being a Scottish decision," Mr Knight said.

He attempted to shift attention back on to Kenny MacAskill, the Scottish justice minister, officially responsible for the decision.

"I hope that there is no fall-out from this for Scotland and I hope that there is no fall-out from this for the UK in terms or our relationship with the US which is a key relationship for us. But it was a decision made by Kenny MacAskill."

Anger over the decision continued to grow in Washington, where it has already been condemned by President Obama and Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of State.

Admiral Mike Mullen, the most senior US military officer, said he was "appalled" by the decision to free Megrahi.

Mr Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said: "This is obviously a political decision."

John Bolton, the former US ambassador to the UN, said of the claims of intervention from Westminster: "You have to wonder if there's not something else involved.”

It earlier emerged that a letter sent by Downing Street to the Libyan leader, urging that the release be kept low-key because a "high-profile" ceremony would distress victims' families, also showed that Mr Brown raised this with Colonel Gaddafi at the G8 summit in Italy last month.

"When we met I stressed that, should the Scottish executive decide that Megrahi can return to Libya, this should be a purely private family occasion," the letter said.

At the time it was claimed that Mr Brown had merely said that the matter was one for the Scottish administration.

It was also disclosed that Ivan Lewis, the Foreign Office minister responsible for Libya, had written to Kenny MacAskill three weeks ago with comments interpreted by the Scottish justice minister as an endorsement of Megrahi's release.

Mr Lewis is thought to have told Mr MacAskill that there was "no legal reason" to block Libya’s request to transfer Megrahi into its custody, under a treaty agreed between Tony Blair and Colonel Gadaffi in 2007.

Mr Lewis was reported to have added: “I hope on this basis you will now feel able to consider the Libyan application in accordance with the provisions of the prisoner transfer agreement.”

The Scottish government interpreted it as an attempt to influence the decision, according to a source close to Mr MacAskill.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said that Mr Lewis had explicitly stated in the letter that the Government was not making representations on whether Megrahi should be transferred to Libya.

Ministers were also forced to deny that Megrahi's release was part of a deal involving energy contracts.

According to a transcript of comments made by Saif Gaddafi, the son of the Libyan leader, Megrahi's release was "on the table in all commercial, oil and gas agreements" and other dealings with Britain.

Lord Mandelson has met the Libyan leader's son twice in the past four months and admitted that he had a "fleeting" discussion with him about the bomber while at the Rothschild family estate in Corfu.

Mr Knight reiterated the response from Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary, that such a claim was "completely wrong" and "offensive". Saif Gaddafi's spokesman later insisted that the Libyan's comments had been "taken out of context".

The Conservatives said it was outrageous that Mr Brown was continuing to say nothing about the release of the bomber.

William Hague, the shadow foreign secretary, called on the Government to release all official records of discussions about Megrahi's release.

Mr Hague said that the Government "urgently needs to clarify the approach that it took" to the negotiations.

Liberal Democrat sources said that it was "simply astonishing" that Mr Brown had not made a statement. "He is making a bad situation even worse with his complete lack of leadership," the source said.

"The US has been extremely critical of this decision and it is astonishing that the British prime minister has failed to say anything about it."

Edward Davey, the Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman, said: "The evidence is mounting that there was far more to the release of Megrahi than simply a judicial decision based on compassion."

Megrahi, 57, was convicted of the 1988 bombing, in which 270 people died, in 2001. He was sentenced to life in prison but released last week after only eight years on compassionate grounds.

He has terminal prostate cancer. Under Scottish law, releases can be made on compassionate grounds if a prisoner has less than three months to live.

[Little Texan]

I always wondered where that phrase "Scot Free" originated from! They let that terrorist bastard walk out of prison Scot Free! Maybe this isn't the only instance where Scotland let someone out of prison early?

[Panamark]

I always wondered where that phrase "Scot Free" originated from! They let that terrorist bastard walk out of prison Scot Free! Maybe this isn't the only instance where Scotland let someone out of prison early?

So it wasnt William Wallace screaming "FREEDOM" :)

Actually, being directly descended from Scots and knowing what
tight arses they are, I thought it was more in the vein of, well
if you are gonna bring a scot along, you know he will want
everything free.....

Speaking of letting prisoners go, didnt California just decide to
empty out 60,000 prisoners to make room for more ???
(Or do we have a thread for that and Im a slack old prick
for not searching)

[fryingdutchman]

Well...time to revive and old thread because...GUESS WHAT??? The fucker's still alive and may be taking a "miracle drug" in Tripoli to treat his cancer.

And the so-called "cancer expert" who gave him 3 months to live now says that he pretty much fucked up...

From the Associated Press....

LONDON (AP) -- The regrets of a cancer expert who assessed the only man ever convicted of the 1988 Lockerbie jetliner bombing have intensified the anger felt by victims' relatives over Scotland's decision to release the Libyan on compassionate grounds.

Professor Karol Sikora and other experts had said Abdel Baset al-Megrahi probably had only three months to live when he was freed from a Scottish jail last August and allowed to return home to Libya. But one year later, Al-Megrahi, who is being treated for prostate cancer, is still alive.

Sikora, one of three experts who assessed al-Megrahi's health for Libyan authorities, was quoted by Britain's Observer newspaper Sunday as saying he should have been more cautious about the chances of survival.

"If I could go back in time, I would have probably been more vague and tried to emphasize the statistical chances and not hard fact," Sikora was quoted as saying.

"In medicine we say 'Never say never and never say always,' because funny things happen. All you can do is give a statistical opinion," said Sikora, dean of the School of Medicine at Buckingham University, in central England.

Scottish authorities deny that the opinions of Sikora and the other experts who advised Libya entered into the decision to release al-Megrahi, though families contend that the advice must have played a role.

"It's obvious the whole thing was flawed," said Frank Duggan, president of the Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, an advocacy group that represents some of the families of those killed.

Duggan said Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill had rejected a U.S. government request to commission an independent medical examination of al-Megrahi, and also has declined demands from families to publish in full the advice Scotland received from consultants.

"The Scottish government should be embarrassed and the U.K. government should be embarrassed," said Duggan, a retired lawyer from Rehoboth, Del., who advises some bereaved families. "It's no surprise to us that these doubts are coming out."

Al-Megrahi is the only person to have been jailed for the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 above the small Scottish town of Lockerbie, which killed 259 people - mostly Americans - onboard and 11 on the ground.

He was convicted in 2001 and sentenced to serve at least 27 years in a Scottish prison, but released in August 2009 on compassionate grounds.

A report made public by Scottish authorities shows the Scottish Prison Service's medical chief, Andrew Fraser, was advised by four specialists at the time of al-Megrahi's release. The report described the three-month prognosis for al-Megrahi as "reasonable," but confirmed that none of those consulted ruled out that al-Megrahi might live longer.

Sikora said he was not taking responsibility for al-Megrahi's release. "No one asked me, 'Should we let him out?' All they said was, 'When do you think he will die?'" he was quoted as saying.

Rev. John Mosey, from Worcestershire, England, whose daughter Helga, 19, died in the bombing, said it was wrong to criticize those who had assessed al-Megrahi.

"The doctors in the case have been dragged through the mud, when really it is very difficult to assess how long someone will survive," he said. "It was a difficult decision to make and was made in good faith."

Susan Cohen, of Cape May Court House, N.J., whose 20-year-old daughter, Theodora, died in the attack, said Sikora's comments were the latest insult to the victims' loved ones.

"This is an added kick in the face and another example of them throwing rocks in the face of the families," Cohen said Sunday. "This whole thing is about business interests, money and making profits," she said, referring to allegations that oil giant BP pressured Scotland to free al-Megrahi so it could win access to Libyan oil reserves.

MacAskill has denied BP had any role in the release of al-Megrahi. Former BP chief executive John Browne, who stepped down in 2007, said Saturday he held two meetings with Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi but never discussed the release of prisoners.

BP has acknowledged that it lobbied the U.K. government as Britain and Libya were negotiating a prisoner transfer agreement - known as a PTA - in autumn 2007, but said it had not raised al-Megrahi's case. Al-Megrahi was not released under the deal, as he was freed on compassionate grounds rather than transferred to serve out his sentence.

"The PTA happened after I left the company. I went to see Col. Gadhafi twice and I think I moved things forward, but there was no discussion about the PTA and no agreement for exploration made at that time," Browne said, speaking Saturday at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Last week, four Democratic U.S. senators - Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer of New York and Bob Menendez and Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey - sent a letter to Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond asking that al-Megrahi's full medical records be disclosed.

"We've never seen that medical evidence. We now know from the prison doctor that the cancer experts were not absolute in their view that al-Megrahi only had three months to live, so there is a lot of confusion here," Annabel Goldie, a Conservative Party lawmaker in Scotland's Parliament, said Sunday.

Duggan said Scottish authorities have repeatedly cited patients' confidentiality as their reason for not disclosing the records.

Sikora told the Observer he remains certain al-Megrahi will die of cancer, "I suspect in the next few weeks. To tell the truth, I'll be quite glad because we can move on."

[Seshmeister]

All a bit embaressing but the facts remain that he probably didn't do it and probably will die soon.

[Nitro Express]

Western energy companies - including Britain's BP PLC - have moved into Libya in an effort to tap the country's vast oil and gas wealth.

Follow the money. The decision makers are bought and paid for and don't care about the average citizen who lost loved ones. They only care about the corporate pay off.

[Seshmeister]

It's an easy jump to make and does explain why suddenly Ghadaffi is our friend and ally and not a terrorist madman but I'm pretty sure the release of al-Megrahi is unrelated to oil.

[vanhalen1r2]

This is unreal, this judge needs to be locked up himself, what a disgrace.....:barf:

Co-sign, I remember when this happened and how terrible it was at the time, this animal should have received the death penalty for this massacre of all those innocent people.