UK: Terminally Ill Lockerbie Bomber Released

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40760074/ns/us_news-security/

WASHINGTON — Intense political pressures and "commercial warfare" waged by the regime of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi led to last year’s release of the "unrepentant terrorist" who blew up Pam Am 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, according to a new report prepared by four U.S. senators.

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The report finds that senior officials under former British Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown quietly and repeatedly pressured Scottish authorities to release Abdel Baset Ali al-al-Megrahi, the former Libyan intelligence officer convicted of the bombing.

Well, well.  It looks as though people who thought there was something more going on behind the scenes were right.  Plus, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were lying (shocker!) when they said the decision to release the Lockerbie bomber had nothing to do with them, and was a matter solely for the Scottish courts.

Funny, because that directly contradicts the Wikileaks releases about which show the Scottish government resisting overtures from Libya and pressure from Westminster.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40760074/ns/us_news-security/

Well, well.  It looks as though people who thought there was something more going on behind the scenes were right.  Plus, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were lying (shocker!) when they said the decision to release the Lockerbie bomber had nothing to do with them, and was a matter solely for the Scottish courts.

That depends on whether you choose to believe the report from the US senators, that wouldn't be the same 4 senators who were demanding that British politicians should be made to answer to them would it?

Funny, because that directly contradicts the Wikileaks releases about which show the Scottish government resisting overtures from Libya and pressure from Westminster.

I don't understand.  If Wikileaks releases show the Scottish government was getting pressure from Westminster, how is that contradicted by a US Senate report saying the UK government put pressure on the Scottish government?  It sounds like two ways of saying the same thing.  (Not trying to be argumentative; just not getting the contradiction.)

The senators seem to be saying that the Scottish government bowed to pressure from Westminster, either to get something they wanted or under threat, which puts the Scottish government in just as dodgy a position as Blair and Brown. The Wikileaks document showed the Scottish government rejecting the carrot and the stick, and eventually coming to a decision on the basis of Scots law.

The senators seem to be saying that the Scottish government bowed to pressure from Westminster, either to get something they wanted or under threat, which puts the Scottish government in just as dodgy a position as Blair and Brown. The Wikileaks document showed the Scottish government rejecting the carrot and the stick, and eventually coming to a decision on the basis of Scots law.

Ah, I get it.  Thanks.