It’s not too late to learn who was to blame for the bombing of jet over Lockerbie
Did the man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing, Abdelbaset Al-megrahi, drop his appeal in 2009 because the then Justice Secretary, Kenny Macaskill, indicated it might help his case for compassionate release?
I was surprised that the former minister chose not to address that issue in his otherwise excellent commentary on the decision by the Scot- tish Criminal Cases Review Commission to open the case again (Perspective, 10 May). But, in fairness, Mr Macaskill has been broadly true to the remarks he made when he announced his decision to set Al-megrahi free on humanitarian grounds nearly nine years ago. His statement at the time attracted some valid criticism. He should have been more careful in his choice of words about how long the convicted Libyan intelligence officer had to live; he should have avoided any suggestion that compassionate release reflected some sort of moral superiority in the Scottish psyche.
On the case for an international inquiry into the full circumstances of the atrocity, however, he was accurate and realistic. It was essential to have a worldwide probe, but the Scottish Government’s powers to facilitate that were limited. Therein lies the dilemma for those who seek justice for the man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing.
To all but the wilfully blind, and those unfamiliar with the complexities of geopolitics, it must be clear that he did not act alone. Very little of consequence in Libya happened without the detailed approval of the late Colonel Gaddafi and his cohorts.
Equally, Libya was involved in some complex relationships with other nations which either tolerated or instigated terrorist activity. That was then. Geopolitics is even more complicated today. Attempts to get at the truth should never be timebarred. Neither should they be thwarted simply because of the vagaries of international diplomacy. Do those who are convinced Al-megrahi was innocent simply want to clear his name in a Scottish law court? Or do they want to take a longer view and establish all the facts even if they show that he was a minor player in a complex plot?
BOB TAYLOR