Man Convicted in Pan Am Jetliner Bombing Will Return to Libya to Die
By Karla Adam Special to The Washington Post
LONDON Aug. 20 -- The Libyan convicted of the Lockerbie bombing will be released imminently on compassionate grounds the Scottish justice secretary said Thursday.
Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi a former Libyan intelligence agent who is terminally ill was convicted in 2001 for his role in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. The plane exploded over the Scottish town of Lockerbie killing 270 people 189 of them American.
Speaking at the Scottish governments ministerial headquarters in Edinburgh Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill he said that humanity was a defining characteristic of the Scottish people and that our belief dictates that justice be served but mercy be shown.
It is my decision that Mr. al-Megrahi be released on compassionate grounds and allowed to return to Libya to die he said.
In defending his decision MacAskill said that the former agent 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.
He said at the news conference that he had rejected the application to transfer him to a prison in Libya and that after seeking medical advice he estimated that Megrahi had about three months left to live.
The release comes amid pressure from the U.S. government to keep him behind bars in Scotland.
The White House issued a statement on Thursday saying it deeply regrets the decision to free Megrahi. As we have expressed repeatedly to officials of the government of the United Kingdom and to Scottish authorities we continue to believe that Megrahi should serve out his sentence in Scotland the statement said. On this day we extend our deepest sympathies to the families who live every day with the loss of their loved ones.
Previously
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has said that it would be absolutely wrong to release him.
Her views were echoed by seven senators including Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) and John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) who wrote to MacAskill earlier this week. MacAskill also said that he had spoken to Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.
Clinton also released a statement Thursday calling the decision deeply disappointing. Many of the families of the American victims have vociferously objected to his release.
Brian Flynn a New York City resident whose brother J.P. Flynn died in the crash said in an interview he was very disappointed. I was hoping that based on the gravity of the crime it wouldnt go through. He added: It is like the U.S. catching the September 11th hijacker and sending him back to Bin Laden he said.
Frank Duggan president of the
Victims of Pan Am 103 Inc. said that he was worried now that Megrahi would get a heros welcome in Libya. That would be incredibly hurtful for American families.
On Dec. 21 1988 a bomb ripped through a jetliner flying from London to New York killing all 259 on board. Another 11 people on the ground were killed from the crashing debris. Megrahi 57 was convicted in a Scottish court held in the Netherlands and sentenced to serve a minimum of 27 years of a life sentence.
MacAskill was keen to stress that this was his decision and his alone. Since 2000 the Scottish government has received 30 applications from prisoners to be released on compassionate grounds -- 24 have been accepted.
Megrahi has advanced prostate cancer. It is expected that he will be flown to Tripoli later today where he will be home with his wife and five children in time for Ramadan which starts on Friday.
