Gaddafi's reward

The Libyan Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi, who is serving time for the Lockerbie attack of 1988, is to be set free. Roughly 300 people died in the bombing organised by the Libyan secret service. According to the daily Diário de Notícias, the release of al-Megrahi, who is terminally ill, comes as a reward for Libya's President Muammar al-Gaddafi: "At the end of 2003, after Gaddafi saw what had happened to [former Iraqi dictator] Saddam Hussein, he announced he would renounce his weapons programme. Prior to that he had already indicated he wanted to improve his relations with the West. One of the points that remained to be addressed was the Lockerbie attack. ... Gaddafi was generous to the victims' next of kin in the compensation negotiations, and even handed over two of the presumed culprits to the Scottish authorities. Now the only attacker in custody is to be released ahead of schedule. ... A reward for Gaddafi's good behaviour. This decision can be understood, but not accepted."

» full article (external link, Portuguese)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Europe, » U.S., » Libya

» To the complete press review of Friday, August 14, 2009