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Libya snubs Gordon Brown’s plea for restraint over Lockerbie bomber
Nicholas Cecil, Chief Political Correspondent21.08.09
Gordon Brown pleaded with Colonel Gaddafi not to give the Lockerbie bomber a hero's welcome home.
The Prime Minister sent a letter to the Libyan leader urging him to act with sensitivity and ensure any reception was low key.
But after the scenes of rejoicing in Tripoli last night on Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi's return, the Foreign Office has ordered a review of whether Prince Andrew should go on a trade visit to Libya next month. A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “We are taking advice from the Foreign Office. It's an acutely sensitive situation.”
Meanwhile, the British government was further drawn into the storm over the Lockerbie bomber's release after Colonel Gaddafi's son praised London for allowing his freedom.
Downing Street and ministers have repeatedly claimed that the highly controversial decision was down to the Scottish administration.
But Seif al-Islam Gaddafi, who discussed the case of Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi with Business Secretary Lord Mandelson just weeks ago when the two met in Corfu, went out of his way to thank both the British and Scottish governments for his release.
In a statement reported by the BBC, the Libyan leader's son said: "This is a courageous and unforgettable stance from the British and Scottish governments. We have turned the page."
Foreign Secretary David Miliband condemned the public rejoicing in Libya over al-Megrahi's release.
He told BBC radio: "The sight of a mass murderer getting a hero's welcome in Tripoli is deeply upsetting, deeply distressing above all for the 270 families who grieve every day for the loss of their loved ones 21 years ago but also for anyone who has got an ounce of humanity in them.”
He dismissed claims that the Government had sought to boost Britain's diplomatic and commercial ties with Libya while retaining the moral high ground by not endorsing al-Megrahi's release. “That's a slur both on myself and on the Government,” he said.
“We have been scrupulous in saying that this decision should be made by the Scottish authorities.
The praise by Seif al-Islam Gaddafi sparked suspicions of a secret deal which could benefit British oil firms seeking to invest in Libya.
Accusations also flew that London was seeking to build diplomatic ties with Mr Gaddafi's regime while at the same time inflicting political damage on the SNP-led administration in Scotland. Former foreign secretary Lord Owen said: “It is very clear that the British government are in this up to their neck.”
Sir Menzies Campbell, the former Lib-Dem leader, added: “Labour is clearly facing two ways on this issue; wanting to enhance relations with Libya but at the same time determined to criticise the SNP for an American audience.”
President Barack Obama's administration has also urged British ministers, as well as the government in Edinburgh, to keep the Lockerbie bomber behind bars — which further undermines No 10's insistence that it was a Scottish decision. Mr Obama said: “We have been in contact with the Scottish Government indicating that we object to this. We thought it was a mistake.”
The fury of Washington and many American families who lost relatives in the 1988 bombing which killed 270 people was increased by the hero's welcome given to al-Megrahi, 57, on his return to Libya last night.
He has prostate cancer and has been given three months to live. Hundreds of people, some waving Scottish flags, greeted him as he got off the plane.
Cameron: Lockerbie decision is 'wrong'
Reader views (60)
roll on the next election and give us a chance to kick
out this totally immoral government who disgrace themselves virtually every day of the week this is just
the latest incident in a continuing catalogue of
proof that they are not fit to run this country or
more to the point do not care about the electorate
whatsoever
- Peter Cowin, london uk
Liberals enable terrorist quite often. All their talk of "understanding" etc etc, just furthers the case of terrorism. This is no different.
- Trunk, US
Compassion really needs to be earned and people's actions determine how much compassion they should be entitled to. All offenders have to realize that compassion can only be earned by good behavior, this provides an incentive for people to live good lives.
- Louise, London
Neville Chamberlain lives!
The cowardice and the weakness, the smugness and the sanctimoniousness, the hypocrisy and the caving in to the terrorist bane of the world ... all these are encompassed in Scotland's shameful surrender to the Islamic wave that has demolished what courage may have still remained in the now demonstrably decadent West.
My wife and indeed my whole family, including myself, have marveled at the kindness and friendliness of the people of Scotland on the several occasions when we have been privileged to visit ... We have found no more congenial and indeed admirable people anywhere on earth.
Where is your ‘compassion’ for your friends and allies, and indeed for the American people–who, by the scores of millions, are now suffering the anguish of Scotland’s shameful act of surrender to Islamic terror ... ?
... A decision borne of fear and trembling, so unworthy of the Scotland we loved.
Is this the Scotland that showed so much courage and valor in World War II?
Where is Scotland the Brave in our time? .
In the folklore--no longer in the real world.
Nevilleland the Unworthy!
- Raymond Ocampo, Ridgewood, NJ, USA
I too can only feel outrage at the decision to release this evil mass murderer, and wonder about the underlying machinations at work here. My anger was only compounded by the hero's welcome he received in Tripoli. This situation strikes home with me because I was in London at the time and making plans to fly to NY. I called by the Pan Am office to inquire about a flight home but ended up taking BA instead. Shortly after returning home, I saw the horrific news, and assumed at the time that justice would eventually prevail, but this was life rather than fiction, and the bad guys got away with mass murder.
- John B., Philadelphia, USA
Anybody seen bottler recently.......thought not.
- David, Fleet UK
Its the liberal idiots like Mike from NZ who are biggest problem, as these are the ones that vote other liberal idiots into positions of power in Government. People who support terror or appease it such as the Scottish Government and others such as David Miliband and the Labour Party deserve to be locked away for the remainder of their pitiful lives. May as well toss in the EU Muppets while we are at it, and then, only then will we be able to deal once and for all with the terrorists that plague our society.
- Eoin Mcgreeghan, Derry, NI
I have started to undertake some research into what happened to the Pan Am airliner due to some comments that Megrahi the convicted "terrorist" might be be a scapegoat.
What I have found is distubing -Please people before passing judgement and posting comments do a bit of research yourselves.
Its now my opionion that Libya had nothing do do with the bombing of Pan Am.
PS remember the American public's reaction when the French went against the US re the invasion of Iraq.
It's Scotlands turn now.
- Mike, Auckland NZ
"As a matter of interest, how much compensation did the families of the victims of the civilian Iranian Airlines flight blasted out of the sky by the USS Vincennes gunboat receive?"
About $132,000,000 in 1996. That's roughly $250,000,000 in 2009 dollars.
- Stephen, OC, California
Harry H in London:
So by your twisted equivalence logic, W.P.C Yvonne Fletcher deserved to be deliberately murdered by someone in the Libyan embassy because someone from the UK accidentally ran over a Libyan in an auto mishap. After all, to argue otherwise would be hypocritical - and fighting hypocrisy is, after all, the most important human endeavor - more important than life itself in your twisted world. Comparing an accidental - and horribly tragic - downing of an airliner in a battle zone with an intentional bombing is ludicrous. Also, please stop excluding facts that do not fit your mindset. An apology from the US was indeed issued about the same time the compensation deal was announced. And the returning sailors were given standard service awards for serving in a combat zone and taking fire - nothing to do with the shootdown. You imply they were awarded for shooting down the airliner. Shame on you.
Charles in Malta: Please go back on your medication.
- Stephen, OC, California
Liberals and their 'good deeds' And when it all fails they are in such shock!
- Trunk, US
PEOPLE OF bRITAIN DON'T BE ASHAMED OF YOUR COUNTRY BECAUSE A COUPLE OF FIRST-CLASS IDIOTS MADE A STUPID DECISION, YOU HAVE GOT TO MAKE ALL THOSE CONCERNED RESIGN WITHOUT ANT GRATUITY BECAUSE OF THEIR INCOMPETENCE, MEANWHILE GHADDAFI IS LAUGHING UP HIS SLEEVE AT US
- Agnes & Robert, vancouver, can.
Don't blame Scotland for the decision of that pair SALMOND AND MACASKILL HAVE GOT TO GO, Britain is going through one of it's worst times right now, between thieving corrupt politicians, and incompetent politicians, every last one of them are grossly overpaid, the Houses of Parliament and the House of Lords have got to be gutted out, to every last one of that conniving filth, as far as I am concerned, they are SUB-HUMAN, DON'T BLAME sCOTLAND OR IT'S PEOPLE they are against that character's decision
- Agnes & Robert, vancouver canada
Brown and the Foreign Office are 100 per cent behind the move to free the Lockerbie bomber, but as gaoling them in the absence of the bomber seems an impossiblity instead gaol the miscreant boofheads in Scotland who went along with them. Let them serve out the remainder of Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi's sentence with no chance of parole. Perhaps then in future such stupidity could be avoided.
- Len, Perth Australia
It is actions like Mr. MacAskills that keeps the death penalty from being overturned in the US.
- Tom, Dallas Texas
This is an outrageous insult to all those who lost their loved ones and those that were killed. As for the scotsman who is condoning the decision of his Scottish parliament in his stupid comments, he is insane!!!! Why did this convicted killer deserve compassion? It is (as usual) some underhand goings on, the truth of which will be whitewashed. The Libyans decided to honour him as a hero despite being requested not to. But is that a surprise? I think not. Surely anyone with brains would have known the outcome, but of course politicians may be thought to be intellectuals, but they have no common sense or integrity or honour to their own people or country. I don't blame the USA for the fury they are expressing. The peoples from that killer's country laugh their heads off at Briish and despise us. There was never any way they would take note of our (unelected)idiot of a prime minister. Why not send all foreign/illegal criminals back to their own countries, as a compassion for the British people, who are sick and tired of these a methods and EU PC laws that appease them and protect them at taxpayers' expense. I am livid!!!
- Lin, London England
Boycott Scotland. Simple. What have they given us lately other than an obviously irresponsible radical government that hopes to break away from the UK and of course Fred Goodwin.
- R Barker, London, UK
An English Army should march to Edinburgh retake the Stone of Scone and return it to Westminster Abbey. Its obvious to me that the Scots cant administer basic justice much less a whole country....We want our own parliament, we don’t want to be part of Britain, blah blah blah...you cant carry out basic duties of basic government. This was big slap in the face to all the families involved. This is INSANE. This is not JUSTICE! Compassion? That cold blooded murder didn’t have any compassion for those INNOCENT people. I can't believe it; even in this day and age I am amazed this happened. I hear people say his conviction was shady or he was innocent. That should have been taken up in courts and he should not have been released to become a hero to the terrorist world. The message is very clear that terrorism and murder pays in Scotland or at the very least is looked upon lightly.
- Wayne, Virginia, USA
There's really only one reason to show this man some compassion, and it's not been much reported. The reason is, that he was not the instigator of the bombing. He would have been given his orders from high up in the Libyan government, probably from the very top.
Defying those orders would have had serious consequences for himself, and probably for his relatives. Yet he *should* have defied orders to commit an atrocity, and his punishment for not doing so was just.
By showing a little mercy to the foot-soldier, we are delivering a last rebuke to his commanding officer. That person was unfortunately beyond our reach, and he is to this day the head of the Libyan state.
- Nigel, London
We are led by incompetant donkeys.
- Anthony, dorset
If I were Scottish I would be ashamed at the moment,especially if I were McBroon,this is a sordid chapter in their history,it stinks to high heaven,much like England's Government.
- Jacob, Canterbury European wasteland England
I hope our friends in the USA do not think that anyone in England supports that outrageous Scottish decision.
- Vince, London, West London
Scottish Law was used to release the man the same law that was used to convict him. In the heady days of December 1988 power politics shaped all as it does today. History being a jouney the scenery is repetative. Scapegoats & sacrifices usual from the now political groups are used. Pan Am 103 was not the first civil airliner brought down by explosives, Libyan Airlines flg 114 in 1973 by Israeli jets, Iran Air flg 655 july 1988 - US Navy both on scheduled flights punishments; NIL.
BP also has a history of sacrificing human values when garbbing for oil. Teheran 1953 the over throw of the government with thousands of people, instigated at the request of the Anglo persian Oil company (BP).
The differece today is that the internet open doors unknown in earlir times to the people kept in ingonrance.
Only in 30 or 50 years when the document are released to the Public records office at Kew will the British and American people get close to the events of Lockerbie
- Alexander, Victoria Seychelles
The convicted man was 'released' as a convicted man. That some in Libya choose to celebrate his 'home coming' in light of the fact that he is a convicted criminal is not very respectful to the people that died in the plane. If he is innocent of what he is convicted off then I fear that this will not come to light for sometime if ever based on 'rumors' about evidence etc. I would not want to be convicted of a crime I did not do. However again as he is a convicted criminal then Libya are being very disrespectful. One way to show that we are not happy with this is to refuse to buy goods originating from Libya and mainly Oil as it is the top people who probably profit a lot from its sales to international countries. So what international oil companies that we can buy petrol/ diesel from in the UK do NOT have any ties with Libya from an Oil perspective. Let's use these and not those that do.
- Sel, Wrecsam, Wales
What a joke this country is becoming . . . first we had the Foreign Secretary, David Miliband giving support to terrorism and then we had the Scottish Government doing the same when it released this filth from prison. Any wonder the USA doesn't have any faith in the UK - we look like a bunch of terror supporting scumbags!!!!
- Eoin Mcgreeghan, Derry, NI
So Gordon sent a letter to Libya asking them not to give Al Megrahi a hero's welcome.
That makes him even more stupid!
- Pat Morgan, spain
As a matter of interest, how much compensation did the families of the victims of the civilian Iranian Airlines flight blasted out of the sky by the USS Vincennes gunboat receive?
- Nik Jameson, London
I wonder if the judges would have released him, if it was their relatives that had been blown out of the sky?
- Andy, highgate
So David Milliband thinks terrorism is ok sometimes (Re: ANC and apartheid)
Does this explain why he is also involved, along with Gordon Brown and the rest of the cabinet, in this shameful affair?
Not only does New Labour give succour to terrorists in the UK (Benefit System), it also spends its time, even on holiday in Corfu, to find many other helpful ways to assist them and their sponsors - for return favours, of course.
- Kris, London
when are the Lybians going to give us the suspect for the shooting of W.P.C Yvonne Fletcher
- J`Ack, Hornchurch Essex
As a Scot , I think this decision shows just how ready Scotland is to govern itself for the first time since 1745.This decision stands alongside others emanating from that great Scottish parliament , which took an enormous amount of puplic spending and overspending ,to debate firstly whether or not to ban smoking in the home.Well done Scotland , this will really enhances your status in the world.Scotland no longer a nation of Serfs ! 'Here's tae us , wha's lik us'
- Chris M, morbihan,france
Almost certainly the reason for the bombing of this Pan Am flight on December 21 1988 was the shooting down of Iran Air Flight 655, with the loss of 290 lives in the Gulf, by a missile fired from the USS Vincennes on July 3 1988. Nobody from this crew received any punishment. In fact they were all honoured on returning back to the States.
No one can be sure what truly happened behind the scenes of the Lockerbie bombing. Though we can be sure that Mr Al-Megrahi was offered as a sacrificial lamb for this case. In order that normal diplomacy could be restored with Libya. If he played a part in this, he was not alone. Also he would have done so under orders. In the same way as the American serviceman who pressed the button to fire the missile from the USS Vincennes.
Both American and UK politicians have blood on their hands with the invasions of both Iraq and Afghanistan. It is total hypocrisy for them to isolate the Lockebie incident from the many others. Unfortunately Cameron is showing signs of being yet another American poodle in this matter.
Incidentally, though the US finally coughed up some compensation in 1996, to the families of those lost on board the Iran Air flight. They have never actually apologised for their action in shooting down this plane.
- Harry H, London UK
Doubtful if we will ever know the truth behind this saga, but it has the stench of politics all around it.
Amazing how so many Libyans had so many Scottish flags under their beds just in case this guy ever got home!
No wonder Gordon Brown is keeping his head under the parapet and letting the pet parrot do the talking.
- Scotty, Cambridge UK
Scotland, you should be ashamed of yourself.
- David, Fleet UK
Bravo Brett Templeton - couldn't have put it better myself!
- Tracy Verga, London
I would absolutely agree with all the 'let him die in prison' comments if I believed he was guilty - the problem is that he probably was not!
- Paul, London
"We have shown the World that we are a nation driven by decency and compassion, and for that I am deeply proud."
- Brett Templeton, london
That's lovely Brett, it's clearly doing this country alot of good to be decent and compassionate when we have baby killers appealing their sentences, gangs attempting to kill innocent people on bikes, kids killing each other for the sake of 'respect'. Oh yes, we're showing the world what this country is made up of alright.
- S-M Hearmon, London, UK
What a mess we are in,and how weak we look in the eyes of the world.A sad day to be a scots/english/welsh man.
Kenny(chuck me the keys) MacAskill & Alex(Ill drive you to the airport Mr Megrahi)Salmond,should hang your heads in shame.
The libyans have won again,and are now having a big party on us,not doubt we gave me a few quid as well and fueled the plane up for free.
- Mark Swansea, swansea
Brett Templeton- well said. Sue in Orpington may well work herself up into a knot of indignation and outrage, but the fact remains that conviction was unsound from the beginning and it was morally right he was released.
- Nj, London.
Miliband: "The sight of a mass murderer getting a hero's welcome in Tripoli is deeply upsetting, deeply distressing above all for the 270 families who grieve every day for the loss of their loved ones 21 years ago but also for anyone who has got an ounce of humanity in them.”
Well, if you still consider him a mass murderer, why have you and the Scottish government conspired to set him free?!!!
What is deeply upsetting and distressing for the families of the victims is that the man convicted of their murder spent only seven years in prison.
To those who believe he may be innocent, until that is proven he should still be treated as a the convicted criminal he is. And to those who think releasing him on compassionate grounds proves we are better than the terrorists and demonstrates our humanity. Do you think any of the terrorists and criminals out there care about compassion? They wouldn't be in the business they are if they did!
The victims and families of this tragedy will now never see justice, because the truth will never be revealed over his conviction and the man who was convicted of their murder served a paltry sentence which barely reflects the heinous crime he was convicted of. Pathetic.
- Mike, London
Its the people of Libya whose way of tradition to celebrate a home coming. After all he was chosen by the Colonel himself to under go such sacrifice. And lets face it is he guilty or not why when the affair happened the CIA and FBI were allowed to cordon the area and no body could enter not even the British Security forces or police. Lets consider another factor the Maltese man who identified him received $2/3m and closed his business
and the relatives got $2.7bn in compensation and the relatives of the Iranian and Italian airlines who were hit by a US missile because the US security forcers got their info wrong that Col Ghaddfi was onboard got nothing because they said it was an accident. Col Ghaddfi himself got nothing for loosing wife and daughter in an air raid that was ordered by the Us president R> Reagan.
- Charles Taliana, Swieqi, MALTA
This was a dodgy conviction in the first place. Syria were thought at the time to have been behind the bombing but then the US "needed" Syria to assist with something else and then suddenly Libya were, conveniently, put in the frame.
The timing of his release (aside from his illness) is more to do with his appeal which would probably have brought the actions of the US investigators to the fore and shown the conviction to have been unsound. This release allows the US to be offended and the Libyans to celebrate but in reality I suspect the US are sighing a big sigh of relief.
I think it is out of print now but Private Eye had a special publication raising a lot of the concerns about the way the US investigation was handled and how Al-Megrahi was scapegoated.
- Andy, London
Compassion, like forgiveness, was not really Mr MacAskill's to give on behalf of the victims of this man.
Alan John
- Alan John, Meopham, Kent
It is an abomination that this murdering thug should be permitted a dignified death he never afforded his victims. Not only did he murder 189 Americans of which 31 were young students from Syracuse, he murdered countless britons and Scots. I feel for Britain and the remaining sane Scots, however compassion for this murderer is not justified. His hero's welcome home is evidence that such regimes glorify such terrorism at the West's expense. The Scottish Judiciary is a shameful standard as evidenced by yesterdays ruling. Scotland is on the global map again, this time for all the wrong reasons.
- Ian, New York, USA
David,although your views are harsh,I agree the UK seems to have ties with Gaddafi.First,the London Mayor holidaying with him,then the other day Mr Blair smiling and shaking hands with him.Democracy the world over is not what it used to be.
- Carlos, london
He is DYING don’t you all think that is punishment enough – Please you all high moral people get a grip. Since when humanitarian reason have ever enter the equation?
Also do carefully add up the costs of keeping a dying man in jail – best place for him Libya
Good luck
Ps I forgot to say but I agree he was a scapegoat
- London Eye, london
What's the betting he will now make a recovery from his illness.We've all been duped
- Andrew Nicholls, Ely ,England
Brett: And Just look where its got us being compassionate and decent. I hope to God you never suffer someone being murdered in your family. You are one of those doo-gooders who have contributed to the total downfall of this once lovely country. He has been released all for the sake of oil! Lives mean nothing anymore. Anyone from US reading this. The people didn't want this, the government did!
- Sue, Orpington, Kent
Amazing to see the old oil chestnut thrown into the ring.
The UK, and the US, have been exploiting Libya's oil reserves for years - long before al-Megrahi's initial requests to be allowed home on the grounds that he is dying.
People either have short memories, or just take a wild stab in the dark at other motives for this release.
- Jock, London
I'm Scottish and I'm thoroughly ashamed to be so at the moment. He should never have been released. What the SNP Scottish government sees as "compasionate", others will see as weak, soft and a government and country easily walked over. It seems that one can, quite literally, get away with murder in Scotland. It gives a whole new meaning to "scot free". Shameful shameful shameful. The SNP should hang their heads in shame.
- Jb Sussex, hove sussex uk
The miscarriage has not been corrected; the dropping of the appeal puts paid to that. Heathrow baggage was broken into the night before the flight yet Megrahi was supposed to have transferred a bomb through two flight changes. He wasn't even in England let alone anywhere near Heathrow.
- Neil, London, London UK
David, we are not a dictatorship. We have an unpopular ELECTED government, which is different, and despite everything - expenses scandals et al - we still have one of the 'cleanest' democracies in the world.
I've watched with dismay as American commentators have poured out their evil rage on this issue. They, of course, would have executed him (despite a lot of evidence that this man was not guilty). We would not. We are a better country than America. We do not sanction state killing. The point, surely, must be that we must ALWAYS and without exception be better moral people than the killers and terrorists in our midst. Every time we succumb to doing what is wrong in order to defend ourselves from evil, we let evil in. Evil wins. The Americans ranting on this issue are full of hate. Is that who we want to be? This is a human being who is dying. His mother is 95 and blameless. She will see her son one last time. Aren't we better, bigger, more moral people than the terrorists if we don't compromise our principles? We have shown the World that we are a nation driven by decency and compassion, and for that I am deeply proud.
- Brett Templeton, london
David - I think you maybe being a little quick to come to a conclusion. Al-Megrahi was obviously offered free passage home if he dropped the appeal action which was likely to either incrimininate or open a considerable can of worms for either the U.S security agencies or other influential bodies. The U.S administration have hardly been overly critical beyond 'hope he doesn't get a hero's welcome' and will probably be quick to bury the whole episode. American's and British alike should be asked some tough questions of their respective governments.
- Hansel, London
The real shame about this whole sorry affair is that the wrong man was convicted largely as a result of bullying by the US. This miscarriage of justice has now been corrected due to the resiliance of the Scotish Minister. The real travesty is that Megrahi's appeal will not be heard and a conviction which has been found to be unsafe is allowed to stand.
- Mike, london
Does anyone actually think al-megrahi did it?
Clearly he is a scapegoat.
- H John, Bridgend, Wales
Outrageous,what compassion did Al- megrahi display.
- Irene Rybinska, London UK
Surprise! Milliband is the only one 'shocked and distressed' by Libyan welcome for the mass murderer.
Pity our politicians don't ask informed people before they appease an evil ideology.
Next time? NuLabour will repeat the same mistakes - bank on it.
- Chris Williams, Cardiff
Well done Scotland for doing the right thing.
It was a very unsafe conviction. Though African Oil may have something to do with the humanity.
- Daniel, London, UK
As the U.K. winds down as a country after 303 years (Lisbon Treaty takes effect 1/1/10), it's sad that its last days should end with damage to its once-strong and special relationship with the United States. Many from my generation will forever remember the sovereign country that, although already in decline as a great world power, was still a player in its own right on the world stage. Under the new 'Treaty' (E.U. Constitution), the E.U. with its High Commissioner (foreign minister) and President will be assuming many of the roles in meetings with the U.S. that the U.K., France and Germany formerly held. So it's sad to see the concluding months of a once-great sovereign country tarnished by the Lockerbie disagreement.
- Phil Jones, London UK
Disgraceful,shamed to be British,Oil above human life,I hope are communist MPs and BP are happy.I would like to apologise to all civilised nations,but please note that 85% of the British public were against this.However,we have an unelected dictator in power,and Britain is by no means a democracy,we are run by dictators and the view and wishes of the people are always ignored.
- David, london
