Main focus of Friday, August 21, 2009

Lockerbie attacker goes free

The Libyan Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi, who was convicted of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, has been released early from imprisonment in Scotland and sent home. The Scottish government cited compassionate grounds, as the 57-year-old is suffering from terminal cancer. The European press is divided over the release. Some 270 people died in the bombing organised by the Libyan secret service.

Mladá fronta Dnes - Czech Republic

The liberal daily Mladá Fronta Dnes voices its disapproval at the release of Lockerbie attacker Abdelbaset al-Megrahi with a comparison: "Imagine if Osama Bin Laden were captured, condemned and put away behind bars for all eternity. Then after a few years he gets out because he's suffereing from cancer of the kidneys and only has a few months to live. Reason enough for pity. After all, we're only human. Absurd? Not at all, as of yesterday it's true to life. A Scottish court releases a terrorist who although not as famous as Osama still has a lot of blood on his hands. ... Yes, we must be able to forgive. People make mistakes and commit crimes. But at Lockerbie it was cold-blooded mass murder for which different standards must apply. There can be no pity for an act of terror, because it would belittle the death of the victims. ... The passengers of the airliner brought down over Lockerbie had no chance. It is only fair that the attacker should have none either." (21/08/2009)

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Die Welt - Germany

Commenting on the release of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi from his Scottish prison the conservative daily Die Welt writes: "The circumstances of the act of mercy give rise to doubts because it smacks of a deal. Is it merely a coincidence that high-ranking British representatives have been travelling to Libya in recent weeks to win a contract for the mining of huge deposits of oil and gas off the coast of the North African country? Is this noble act of compassion just a footnote of a business transaction? This question will probably remain open - like so many things connected with the investigation into one of the most spectacular cases of terrorism of the 20th century. For despite his sentencing there were always doubts about whether the evidence presented against Megrahi in the course of his trial really justified a guilty verdict. Respected figures spoke of a 'miscarriage of justice' at the time. Therefore it would have been better if the Scottish judiciary had considered reopening the trial at an earlier point in time. Now it's too late." (21/08/2009)

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Trouw - Netherlands

The US has denounced the release of Libyan Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi. For its part the daily Trouw believes the decision to release him was right, albeit painful for the families of the victims: "Why let him die with his family when their family members on board the [PanAm] Boeing [aircraft in the 1988 bombing] were denied this? This speaks of a desire for revenge which is so much stronger in American legal culture than in the European. It is also manifest in the use of the death penalty there. Scottish Justice Secretary [Kenny MacAskill] was right to stand firm: beyond revenge there is no point in the Libyan remaining in the Scottish cell. … These are dramatic decisions that are painful for many. To allow a convict like this to die at home is a sign of strength. It's a decision that shows that in the end the civilisation which the convicted wanted to undermine is stronger than them." (21/08/2009)

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Irish Examiner - Ireland

The liberal daily The Irish Examiner puts mercy over revenge in the case of the terminally ill Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi: "Virtually every chapter of history shows that inhuman treatment of prisoners does little to defeat an enemy. Rather, it deepens divisions and hatreds and makes conflict resolution all the more difficult. [The prisons of] Guantánamo, Long Kesh [in Northern Ireland] and [the South African] Robben Island all had, as far as their administrators were concerned, very necessary functions but that does not mean they did not contribute to deepening the resolve of at least some of those imprisoned. Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi was convicted of the most terrible crime and were he not terminally ill there would be no possible argument for his release. He ... has blood on his hands but it is difficult to understand what is to be gained - other than revenge - by keeping a dying man behind bars. Equally, it would be unwise for anyone, American or Libyan, to confuse mercy with weakness. Surely mercy will do more to build bridges than revenge." (21/08/2009)

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