… all sorts of allegations flying around after the person who was convicted of the Lockerbie bombing was released.

Wonder how long that'll take to die down.

When Mandelson is once more kicked out of Westminster for being a crook. That's when it'll die down.

But of course, now he's in the other place, can he be kicked out?

Frankly, the whole thing stinks.

seeing as how he was just a scape goat bought in to mend us/british lybian relations I thinks its quite funny. Jim Swire things he's innocent which is good enough for me.

It seems that many Americans didn't actually realise that a "life" sentence in the UK is rarely that – i.e. if the guy hadn't fallen ill, he'd have been let out in 2026 anyway. Presumably, we'd have had all of this uproar then.

Just out of interest, any of you guys read ther private eye report on this in 2001 ( avaailable as a download, but will cost you a fiver).

the basic summary is that Megrahi was convicted on the evidence of 2 witnesses provided by the CIA, both given huge pay outs by CIA..

The 1st was a chap called Abdul Giaka, paid informer and notoroius liar.
2nd wa sa maltese shop keeper who id'ed him as the man who brought the clothes that were packed around the bomb, after having his photo provided by the CIA as a visual prompt.

More stuff but can't be arsed to type it out..

Reason the appeal was dropped so that edvinence not allowed in the first trail would have come out and made the biggest protesters, UK and US gov't look like total shiteheads..

appeal dropped, we'll let you go on compassionate grounds..

we've already shown how humanitarian we are with letting Ronny Biggs out a few weeks eariler..

I'm now off to wrap my head with tin foil to stop those nasty NSA types from reading my mind.

I was particularly surprised with this :

But a Scottish government spokesman said ……….. "Compassionate release is not part of the US justice system but it is part of Scotland's."

FBI, Scotland clash over Megrahi release

Are we allowed to talk to the Yanks like that ? I mean, it doesn't exactly paint them in a very positive light – especially for a country which likes to claim to be a Christian nation.

And anyways, isn't it the Yanks who have the divine right to preach morality to the world ?
Sounds to me like Scotland might be behaving above it's station 😯

Obviously letting a guy with terminal cancer go home to die with his family doesn't Gel with locking up lots of light brown people without trial eH?

I mean who the **** are they to preach to us about right and wrong ???

Que US marines running up very chilly Scottish beaches and getting their arses royally kicked !

FREEDOM !! N'all that…

Once the USA realise Scotland has loads of OIL, they'll probably try to get a resolution passed at the UN so they can invade and look for WMDs….
then again they may not bother and just invade anyway

Don't know if deep fried Mars Bar comes under that category though 🙂

Irn-Bru chemical weapon, so basically we're screwed. 😉

http://www.boycottscotland.com/
look's like big Kenny's pissed off some of our american cousins

Do you think this might reduce the amount of
americans claiming to be SCOTCH ??? 😉

"In God we Trust"

Oh aye?

The problem I have with this is that people think keeping him locked up will actually help. From what it looks like – he's not a danger to anyone else any more, he's about to die, so why keep him locked up? Will it make the victims feel better? Maybe – and this is the problem. People should not be thinking that revenge makes them feel better. Of course, it's hardly revenge in practise but I suspect that's what's on people's mind – make him pay. Well, he can't pay so you'lre going to have to deal with that (along with everything else). Focusing your energy on taking everything out on the perpetrator I don't think is healthy in this kind of impersonal crime.

So, it might not be such a hot idea for me to pack my kilt for my trip to the States next week then? Especially as in my passport photo taken in August '01, I was wearing one of those Arab scarf things (great winter neck warmers on a motor bike)

Didnt think the americans were big on irony
but after reading some of the comments on this
maybees aye
sounds like Chucks cancelled his round at Carnoustie, were all doomed
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/boycott-scotland-for-releasing-megrahi-lockerbie-bomberbomer

Focusing your energy on taking everything out on the perpetrator I don't think is healthy in this kind of impersonal crime.

Have to disagree. No-one was focused on him until the movement started to release him, then they focused on why is he getting out. If it really was compassionate, I'd probably disagree any way, but
Calamity Broon was on holiday, a month or so after meeting Ghadhaffi, leaving Mandelson in charge,
Mandelson, who is never going to be PM, then takes himself into hospital
MacAskill, the Scottish Justice Minister, then goes to visit Megrahi in jail – this has never happened before,
Megrahi drops his appeal
and this all happens whilst the Scottish Parliament is in recess, so there's no chance to discuss it in open parliament,

Personally I think the SNP have played a blinder here. Not much chance of Scotland being attacked by terrorists again now. How can anyone claim the moral high ground against a country that let a terrorist be released on compassionate grounds.

Personally, I'm failing to see the down-side.

Personally, I think they've got a fair point, that people convicted of terrorist offences should be locked up for a very, very long time, and those who knowingly fund terrorists should be punished equally harshly!

Whats that you say? Noraid? ANC? Mandela? Mujihadeen? Shurely schome mishtake!

Extradition warrant for Teddy Kennedy anyone 😈

How can anyone claim the moral high ground against a country that let a terrorist be released on compassionate grounds.

Good point. I've always said that there would be a lot less terrorism if instead of dealing with fundamentalist regimes by bombing the **** out of their civilians, we sent in armies of irrigation engineers and commercial agriculturalists.

And in amongst all this there's the small matter of a civilian Iranian jet getting shot down by a US warship and nobody even getting his pay docked.

Accidents and acts of terrorism are all the same then?

As in ooops I appear to have "accidently" shot down a plane full of civilians that is flying in Iranian airspace.

Civilised countries dont have that type of accident.

Accidents and acts of terrorism are all the same then?

But why give out medals to those who managed to make such a massive mistake? And never apologise or take responsibility?

oops, we seem to have accidentally forgot to mention during the trial that the baggage handling area for the Pan Am flight was broken into, giving some else the opportunity to plant a bomb

oops, someone seems to have accidentally lied about weapons of mass destruction

oops, did we really ground all civilian flights in US air space in the aftermath of the World Trade Centre attacks, or was a special case made for the family of one Osama Bin Laden

oops, didn't Al Gore's vice presidential commision on the state of airline security in the US mention the possibility of commercial aircraft being used as weapons, but tit was hushed up because of the potential financial impact of beefing up security measures in US airports

wooops where, exactly, is Mr Bin Laden these days?
Isn't that why we went in to Afghanistan several months and quite a few bodybags ago?

Accidents and acts of terrorism are all the same then?

Accident? FFS!

Of course, on a US warship's defence systems, a civilian airline flying a consistent course at a consistent altitude at a consistent speed closely resembles the attack profile of an enemy fighter-bomber armed with deadly air-to-surface missiles, doesn't it? Understandable mistake.

"Even if there was a mistaken identification, which Iran has not accepted, it argues that this constituted gross negligence and recklessness amounting to an international crime, not an accident."

The crew of the Vincennes received combat-action ribbons. The air warfare coordinator on board, Lt. Cmdr. Scott Lustig, received a commendation medal for his ability to "quickly and precisely complete the firing procedure"–the same firing procedure that shot down Flight 655.

"I will never apologize for the United States of America, ever. I don’t care what the facts are." – Vice President George H. W. Bush, Newsweek, August 15, 1988

Americam government says what it wants th e USA to believe, (and the American public belie3ve it) . They just clear up the mess later, if at all

Amazing how those guardians of democracy and the rule of law get all het up when a democratic country follows the rule of its own laws.

Just as well Scotland actually has WMDs…

Saw the Lockerbie memorial in Arlington Cemetary along with those of the Kennedy clan and the 'glorious dead', while we there there a military funeral was being conudcted complete with gun carriage, dignitaries and top brass flown in by BlackHawk.

At some point the killing has to stop and possibly the actions of the Scots could be one tiny step to bringing that about. I doubt it somehow as there seem to be too many fundementalists and zealots on both sides of the fence!

on the bright side….may be it will be the final nail in Donald's arrogant golf course plan. After all if he can no longer encourage fellow wealthy yanks to Scotland for a round then his business plan is doomed. Doomed I tells'ya! 🙂

It'd be a sight, wouldn't it, seeing crack US military squads invading Scottish beaches, only to be spanked back to the US by the lady who runs the launderette by the chippy!!

The americans wouldn't stand a chance against a country with such bad weather in which it's inhabitants go to war wearing skirts….

A lot of respect is due I think!

American chit chat on the web is calling for a boycott on Scottish goods, Scottish whisky etc…. kilts…. hmmm good luck, if people want such things they are going to buy them anyway, there's no alternative. It wont go far.

What annoys me is that all the major political criticism is one sided, there is no acknowledgment that "Compassionate Release" was a compassionate move, (publicly at least it isnt a political move, though who knows what more we'll find out). There is little acknowledgement of the mercy shown and what that means in Western Culture, (obviously doesnt mean anything in the USA going on current public comment) and I find it sad that our own UK politicians are unable to acknowledge the value of compassion whether or not they agree politically and technically with the fact that a terrorist found guilty in a court is now at home and not in prison, but that alongside their technical opinion its sad that our politicians aren't showing their belief in humanity and any understanding of Scot's law.

It seems many politicians are going with the one sided approach so as not to be accused of beating-about-the-bush by representing two sides of the debate and also so they appear to be aligned with the heavy handed sound of opinion coming from the USA, boring.

I really wish our politicians would stand up and be counted and show intelligent understand of a sensitive situation and look into understanding not only those angry victims but also the reasons of a decision based on law represented in Scotland, taking into account that the US agreed to let Scotland try the man in the Netherlands and keep him in a Scottish prison should he be found guilty, they farmed out the responsibilites to Scots Law and have to live with any of the consequences that represents.

I heard the Yanks were rebranding Scotch Eggs as Freedom Eggs.
Might cause a boost in sales with people thinking they're buying Freerange Eggs 🙂

Thought I'd go and see the US point of view on this, so when to my favourite news site to feel the pulse of American thought – Anchorage Daily News .
Headline stories currently are –

Aleutian Rat Island appears to be rat-free

Talkeetna Moose Dropping festival a little too popular

calling for a boycott on Scottish goods, Scottish whisky etc………. It wont go far.

I wouldn't be too quick to scoff, do you not remember the anti-French campaign based on renaming 'French fries' 'Freedom fries' ? It was a cunningly clever move by the Yanks, and one which dealt a devastating blow to the French economy.

In fact, it really wasn't long before there was widespread regret throughout France that they hadn't gone along with the plan to bomb the **** out of a weak and impoverished third world country over imaginary WMD.

Mark my words, Scotland will live to regret the day she refused to do what she was told. Expect Scottish whisky to be renamed 'Revenge whiskey' or maybe 'Miscarriage-of-justice-against-a-completely-innocent-man whiskey'. And if The Simpsons get on the case, well then Scotland will be truly shafted.

they never gave back the Statue of Liberty, did they, whatever they said about the French?

Scotland will forever remember the crime that has been perpetrated against our people and those from many other lands. The pain and suffering will remain forever. Some hurt can never heal. Some scars can never fade.

"Those who have been bereaved cannot be expected to forget, let alone forgive. Their pain runs deep and the wounds remain.

"However, Mr Al Megrahi now faces a sentence imposed by a higher power. It is one that no court, in any jurisdiction, in any land, could revoke or overrule. It is terminal, final and irrevocable. He is going to die.

"In Scotland, we are a people who pride ourselves on our humanity.

"It is viewed as a defining characteristic of Scotland and the Scottish people.

"The perpetration of an atrocity and outrage cannot and should not be a basis for losing sight of who we are, the values we seek to uphold, and the faith and beliefs by which we seek to live.

"Mr Al Megrahi did not show his victims any comfort or compassion. They were not allowed to return to the bosom of their families to see out their lives, let alone their dying days. No compassion was shown by him to them.

"But that alone is not a reason for us to deny compassion to him and his family in his final days.

"Our justice system demands that judgment be imposed but compassion be available.

"Our beliefs dictate that justice be served, but mercy be shown.

"Compassion and mercy are about upholding the beliefs that we seek to live by, remaining true to our values as a people. No matter the severity of the provocation or the atrocity perpetrated.

Part of MacAskills statement on the release Full text

@ IanMunro

Enjoying the Anchorage Daily News.

My comments re revenge were about the general public and how they tend to bay for blood in these situations withotu being properly informed or bothering to think things through.

As usual.. *sigh*

BlockBuster Video have announced a sharp drop in Braveheart rentals

Poor Donald Trump is gonna be well peeved – all that hard work and cash to get his resort accepted then his hosts go and royally peeve his home country!
trump golf