Merged [Ed] Convicted Lockerbie bomber released

Professor Yaffle said:
Not quite right (unless somthing has changed since I last read about it). The prisoner transfer looks exceedingly unlikely as there is still an outstanding appeal on his sentence and no moves to attempt to get that resolved before the decision on this will be made. So it looks like a dodgy deal where it was strongly hinted that dropping his appeal would facilitate his release on compassionate grounds.
Click to expand...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/8205528.stm

True, but my money is on the Crown withdrawing their appeal against the sentence and the prisoner transfer happening at the same time.
 
Alt+F4 said:
Also, here's the thing about "compassionate release" - doctors are sometimes wrong.
Click to expand...
I was thinking along the same lines. Willy LagesWP was also released early, and lived on for five more years. Though at irks me more in that case is that he had received the death penalty and had already gotten pardon. I have no problem with a compassionate release in general.

Jaggy Bunnet said:
Don't think there is much treatment going on. He is dying.

Unfortunately it appears there is a deal being done where he withdraws his appeal and gets released under prisoner transfer (not possible if he was still appealing) rather than release him on compassionate grounds (which would allow the appeal to continue).

Probably ends the last chance to find out what actually happened and who is really responsible.
Click to expand...
That would be too bad, as there has been cast quite some doubt on the case. Even if the appeal is held up, and he dies in a month time, will the appeal be completed for truth's sake?

If not, that would also mean that, if he didn't do it, the real perpetrator is safe for life.

Praktik said:
When will bashed Americans exposed to this virulent anti-americanism stand up for their Dutch brothers, who are now facing an equally vile blast of anti-netherlandianism??
Click to expand...

We're guilty, we provided the venue for the court case. :)
 
Professor Yaffle said:
Not quite right (unless somthing has changed since I last read about it). The prisoner transfer looks exceedingly unlikely as there is still an outstanding appeal on his sentence and no moves to attempt to get that resolved before the decision on this will be made. So it looks like a dodgy deal where it was strongly hinted that dropping his appeal would facilitate his release on compassionate grounds.
Click to expand...


I think you've nailed it. He's going to get the compassionate release, but he was leant on to withdraw the outstanding appeal.

So that the evidence his legal team was trying to have introduced will now stay buried. In the vaults of those who didn't want it released "on security grounds".

I do love the way some people are so sure this man is guilty despite the many people well-versed in the facts of the case who believe him to be innocent, and the fact that he's been given leave to appeal because of serious reasons to doubt the safety of the conviction.

Rolfe.
 
If anyone else is watching Newsnicht just now, you'll see that this is exactly what is going to happen.

And by the way, they just quoted Prof. Karol Sikora who is a hugely respected cancer specialist here, saying that he has very aggressive cancer which is no longer responding to treatment.

I'm going to discuss the coercion to drop the appeal in the CT thread, because that's where it belongs.

Rolfe.
 
ddt said:
That would be too bad, as there has been cast quite some doubt on the case. Even if the appeal is held up, and he dies in a month time, will the appeal be completed for truth's sake?

If not, that would also mean that, if he didn't do it, the real perpetrator is safe for life.
Click to expand...


No, and yes. He has withdrawn the appeal, so it cannot now go ahead.

Here are the grounds for the appeal.

If he had not withdrawn the appeal, as he was not required to do for compassionate release, and he had then died with the appeal still outstanding, then other interested parties would be allowed to continue the appeal on his behalf. Which would include any of the victims' families who believed the truth was still hidden. It's likely that would have happened, however they can no longer do this.

So many people in Scotland are very very puzzled as to why pressure was put on Megrahi to withdraw that appeal. Of course, it looks as if the reason was precisely to prevent any further enquiry into the affair.

Of course this wasn't just a single perpetrator, this was a crime perpetrated by a group, very possibly a government. Iran, Syria and Palestine have all been talked about in that context. To imagine that this was any single person's work, Megrahi or anyone else, is just ridiculous. Even if it was the work of Libya, Megrahi was just an operative. Funny how we're all best buddies with Libya now....

Rolfe.
 
Last edited:
A deal has been done and he'll be home for Ramadan. Strikes me Clinton's just posturing for domestic consumption. I doubt the US wants this raked over again in the court of appeal.
 
Rolfe said:
No, and yes. He has withdrawn the appeal, so it cannot now go ahead.
Click to expand...
Yes, too bad. But now that he's been released, he can refile the appeal, can't he? :D

It would be a travesty of justice if there were no second appeal.

Rolfe said:
Of course this wasn't just a single perpetrator, this was a crime perpetrated by a group, very possibly a government. Iran, Syria and Palestine have all been talked about in that context. To imagine that this was any single person's work, Megrahi or anyone else, is just ridiculous. Even if it was the work of Libya, Megrahi was just an operative. Funny how we're all best buddies with Libya now....
Click to expand...

But haven't been for the time between Libya was fingered as behind Lockerbie and the actual court case. I don't know how many people it takes to blow up an airplane. It seems to me that you only need one guy to smuggle the suitcase aboard. The hard part is getting the Semtex. The timer and detonator can be cheap stuff that you solder together yourself.

Rest of my comments over in the CT thread. (Aargh Rolfe, you made me post in the CT section :jaw-dropp)
 
ddt said:
Yes, too bad. But now that he's been released, he can refile the appeal, can't he? :D
Click to expand...


I rather suspect not. I don't see how it would be practical anyway, in his situation.

ddt said:
It would be a travesty of justice if there were no second appeal.
Click to expand...


So true. However, that's what some people in positions of power appear to want.

Rolfe.
 
Rolfe said:
I rather suspect not. I don't see how it would be practical anyway, in his situation.
Click to expand...
He could claim duress :). Not practical for him, but for uncovering the truth.

Rolfe said:
So true. However, that's what some people in positions of power appear to want.
Click to expand...
So we gotta wait 60 years until the relevant documents are disclosed under the Official Secrecies Act? And we also still don't know the British side to the Englandspiel :mad:
 
I understand that the prosecution also had an appeal open. Can anyone confirm that and if so has it also been dropped? Is there a route to examine the issues again through that?
 
Fiona said:
I understand that the prosecution also had an appeal open. Can anyone confirm that and if so has it also been dropped? Is there a route to examine the issues again through that?
Click to expand...

Appeal is against length of sentence, not facts of case. IAMAL but don't think there is any chance of examining facts of case by this route.
 
Kenny is now on the BBC news explaining what he's doing. He's being critical of someone, either the US authorities or the UK authorities, not sure which, possibly both.

He just rejected the Libyan application for prisoner transfer.

Rolfe.
 
He's now talking about compassionate release....

ETA (1.25): He's working up to saying yes....

ETA (1.26): He's said yes.

Rolfe.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom