Not a word as he died in silence
THE man convicted of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing was too ill to say a word to his family as he died at his home in Tripoli.
Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi , 60, suffered from prostate cancer and was checked in to hospital for a few days in April before being sent back home to be with his wife Aisha and his five children.
On April 16, his brother, Abdelhakim had said his brother’s days were numbered.
Abdelhakim said yesterday that Megrahi’s health had deteriorated quickly overnight after having been in and out of hospital for weeks. He died from prostate cancer complications shortly after 1pm local time (11am GMT)
He was surrounded by his family and died in his wellappointed home, a two-storey villa set behind high walls in Tripoli’s upmarket Hay Damascus neighbourhood.
“My brother was surrounded by his wife, children and his mother as he took his last breath,” said Abedelhakim.
“He was too sick to utter anything on his deathbed. We want people to know he was innocent.”
Saad Nasser al Megrahi, a relative and a member of the ruling National Transitional Council, said Megrahi’s health had seriously deteriorated in recent days and he died of cancer-related complications.
Neighbours rolled out a carpet and set up chairs in the courtyard outside his house in preparation for condolence visits by family and friends.
Meanwhile, a cordon of male family members stood around a large entrance gate, keeping journalists away.
“We are sorry, but we want to be alone,” said Abdul Salem, Megrahi’s nephew. “He is an innocent man. We want to have peace. We don’t want to let journalists near to the house.”
As many as a dozen cars were lined up in the street outside Megrahi’s home after the announcement was made.
Megrahi’s sister said his funeral would take place at Tripoli’s main cemetery today following early afternoon prayers.
Rana Jawad, who was outside Megrahi’s home in Tripoli, says family members have been making preparations to receive guests paying their condolences
Libya’s National Transitional Council said his death would not end the Government’s investigation into the Lockerbie attack.
“We would have liked to uncover more truths but his death will not shut the Lockerbie file,” NTC spokesman Mohamed al Harizy said.
“The Libyan Government will continue to investigate the crimes committed by the Gaddafi regime using other witnesses.”
Thus far, Libya’s authorities have not begun any public investigation into the Lockerbie bombing, with officials predicting that no such case will be
I think he was a scapegoat. I don’t doubt that he was involved, but I do not believe he was the main player in all this
opened at least until a new government takes office following June elections.
Libyans told of their relief rather than sadness following news of Megrahi’s death.
“With Megrahi death, the truth about Lockerbie goes with him to the grave, and I am sorry for that,” said Dr Adel Anaiba, 49, a member of the Derna Local Council in eastern Libya. “As a Muslim, I must say God bless his soul, but, as a Libyan, I will remember him as the bad man he was.”
Hani Ben Ali, 46, an industrial engineer living in Tripoli, echoed a sentiment often heard outside Libya, that there was much more to Lockerbie than Megrahi. “I think he was a scapegoat. I don’t doubt that he was involved, but I do not believe he was the main player in all this.”
In the streets around Hay Damascus many said Megrahi’s death was a reminder of an era they prefer to forget.
“All Libyans know his face, and we know that he put us back maybe 10 years,” said Arfa Mohamed, a 25-year-old cashier at a nearby fast-food shop. “Thanks to him, it gave the outside world a view of Libyans as terrorists.”
“Was he innocent or guilty? Only God can know,” said Mohammed Ferake, in a hardware store close to Megrahi’s villa. “I never saw him. His family never shopped here. The [Lockerbie] case did not help Libya.”