Lockerbie bomber returns to hero's welcome in Libya

[BURNING MAN]

Flag-waving crowds greet Abdelbaset al-Megrahi in scenes US warned UK and Libyan governments it did not want to see.

The Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi returned home to a crowd of thousands of cheering young men , despite Barack Obama's warning against a hero's welcome.

As Megrahi disembarked at the military airport in Tripoli where his plane landed, supporters – some wearing T-shirts bearing his picture – threw flower petals in the air and waved Libyan and miniature Scottish flags while music played.

Having changed out of the white tracksuit he was wearing when he left Scotland into a dark suit and burgundy tie, Megrahi left the plane with the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's son Saif, who raised his hand to the crowd before they sped off in a convoy of white sedans. Megrahi was reportedly on his way to meet his 95-year-old mother.

Obama last night denounced Scotland's release of Megrahi as a mistake, and revealed that the US had opened talks with Libya urging the regime to keep the terminally ill man under house arrest until his death.

The UK foreign secretary, David Miliband, refused to say today whether he agreed with the Scottish government's decision but condemned the reception given to Megrahi in Libya as "deeply upsetting, deeply distressing". He also denied that the UK had wanted the Scottish government to free him to boost British and commercial interests.

Megrahi, who is thought to have three months to live, was freed on compassionate grounds yesterday. The Afriqiyah Airways jet took off from Glasgow airport at 3.26pm, leaving in its wake a torrent of international condemnation.

"We have been in contact with the Scottish government, indicating that we objected to this," Obama said. "We thought it was a mistake."

In a carefully choreographed day, it took 67 minutes to free the man who it had taken more than a decade to catch and convict for plotting Britain's worst terrorist atrocity, the bombing of Pan Am flight 103.

At 1pm, the Scottish justice secretary, Kenny Macaskill, told a press conference of his decision to free Megrahi because spreading prostate cancer was killing him.

At 2.29pm, the white A300 airliner touched down in Glasgow, while at Greenock prison, Megrahi, frail and bowed by his illness, walked slowly into a prison van, his face swathed in a white scarf.

At 2.37pm, a small convoy of six police vehicles flanked by police outriders swept him under the prison's arch. About 80 local residents had gathered outside the gate. Some shouted abuse while some cheered ironically, as the convoy passed.

Roads were closed as the convoy was shepherded through Greenock by its outriders and down the M8 to Glasgow airport, shadowed by a small squadron of police and TV helicopters.

At 3.09pm, Megrahi stepped from the van on to the airport tarmac, his face obscured by a white baseball cap and the scarf. After a handshake with prison guards, Megrahi leaned on a walking stick and pulled himself up the aircraft steps.

Megrahi had repeatedly denied his guilt – protesting his innocence again in an emotional statement yesterday – but he left Scotland a convicted mass murderer, after dropping his appeal against conviction in order to expedite his release.

In his hand he held papers that threatened "recall to custody" if he did not comply with the terms of his release, including giving monthly health updates and being interviewed by a supervising officer. Last night, Scottish opposition politicians said the terms were unenforcable.

US relatives of those killed in the bombing condemned the release. Showing Megrahi any compassion was "utterly despicable", said Kara Weipz, 36, whose brother Rick was killed in the atrocity.

"The interests of justice have not been served by this decision," said Eric Holder, the US attorney general, who helped investigate the bombing originally. "There is simply no justification for releasing this convicted terrorist whose actions took the lives of 270 individuals."

Macaskill, the Scottish justice secretary and former criminal defence lawyer who issued Megrahi's release papers, said his decision was a moral act.

"In Scotland, we are a people who pride ourselves on our humanity. It is viewed as a defining characteristic," he told a packed press conference in Edinburgh.

"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. [But] compassion and mercy are about upholding the beliefs we seek to live by, remaining true to our values as a people, no matter the severity of the provocation or the atrocity perpetrated.

"For these reasons alone, it is my decision that Mr al-Megrahi be released on compassionate grounds and allowed to return to Libya to die."

Macaskill released medical reports on Megrahi's condition. His cancer, diagnosed in September 2008, failed to respond to hormone treatment. The cancer hit nine out of 10 on the "Gleason score" of severity. The official medical report stated that Megrahi's condition had "declined significantly" earlier this month. "The clinical assessment, therefore, is that a three-month prognosis is now a reasonable estimate for the patient."

Megrahi said his conviction was "a disgrace" and his imprisonment had been a "horrible ordeal".

"I am obviously very relieved to be leaving my prison cell at last and returning to Libya, my homeland," he continued. "Many people, including the relatives of those who died in, and over, Lockerbie, are, I know, upset that my appeal has come to an end; that nothing more can be done about the circumstances surrounding the Lockerbie bombing.

"I share their frustration. I had most to gain and nothing to lose about the truth coming out – until my cancer diagnosis. To those victims' relatives who can bear to hear me say this: they continue to have my sincere sympathy for the unimaginable loss they have suffered. To those who bear me ill will, I do not return that to you."

Obama said he had contacted families of the deceased and indicated to them that the release was inappropriate. He added: "We have been in contact with the Scottish government indicating we object to this. We thought it was a mistake. We are now contacting the Libyan government to make sure that if this transfer has taken place, he is not welcomed back in some way but should instead be under house arrest."

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[kidflash2008]

Although it was a tough decision, the man is not going to live very long. I do not know what I would of done in that situation and will not condemn the persons who released the prisoner.

[$$kneel-B4-me$$]

i think he made the decision long ago to die in prison. maybe he wont do anything but die, or just maybe since he's dieing he'll play part in another huge suicide bombing. thats a chance i wouldn't have taken. If i felt that much pitty for him, i would've kept him imprisioned and let his family come to him for his final days. this just might be a devastatingly wrong decision. If something major does happen, they should be held completly accountable.

[BURNING MAN]

Did the White House Green Light Lockerbie Bomber's Release?

The recent events in Scotland show the futility of treating a war as a criminal justice issue. Did Gordon Brown get a green light from the Obama administration to let a convicted murderer, Al Megrahi, go "scot free"?

[BURNING MAN]

Lockerbie Bomber 'Set Free For Oil'

The British government decided it was “in the overwhelming interests of the United Kingdom” to make Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi, the Lockerbie bomber, eligible for return to Libya, leaked ministerial letters reveal.

Gordon Brown’s government made the decision after discussions between Libya and BP over a multi-million-pound oil exploration deal had hit difficulties. These were resolved soon afterwards.

[kidflash2008]

Another blood for oil deal. At least they did not invade a country for that sweet crude.

And I thought it was a humanitarian deal!

[empirez]

The usa cannot afford to invade every country that opposes her, I guess... ?

[kidflash2008]

Originally Posted by empirez

The usa cannot afford to invade every country that opposes her, I guess... ?

It didn't stop the USA from invading Iraq after the false intelligence reports claimed there was WMDs there.

President Obama uses a different tactic than VP Cheney did.

[empirez]

Remember kidflash - that the first september was the 70th anniversary of the second world war. How has the second world war impacted you ? severe ?

[$$kneel-B4-me$$]

i was born in '81. i dont like war but the US is in a prime location to fight, plus our troops are down right amazing. the US is a powerful place. not to mention any other country that can remotely match our military is our allies. everbody talks about oil, "U.S. just went to iraq for oil", please spare your ignorance and my time. do some research, between alaska/canada and the gulf plus all between we have enough oil to provide for us and our allies til we have the technology to make oil obsileat. especially with how fast technology has advanced. i talk to my grandfather and he remembers when there was only 3-5 black and white channels on T.V. he also talks about calling the operator to have them dispatch calls to the people they wanted to talk to. Also, the biggest example, no computers. hell, the first computer is only my age and it took up a whole building (in size). it took a team of specialist to input data get info out of it. look at how far technology has come in 100 yrs, some people are still around to have seen the whole thing evolve from the "beggining". from steam cars to space, and from molitov cocktails to nukes. the worlds leaders will let you think what you want (U.S. gov. probably started the oil rumor), fact is the rest of us (no matter what country) are all left in the dark till someone slips up or its old news. technology that we will be seeing 5yrs from now they have been using (mastering) 5yrs ago. For all you know that saying, "U.S. went to war for oil" is probably started to subconciously keep us (as a people on this earth, out of power) thinking our governments and its views are still ran by that country. you know instead of a one world government. what's that saying? the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convencing man he didn't exist. judge people, as individuals, from what you encounter or experiance. not through hear say, race, gender, sexuality, or country they come from.