Why the Lockerbie Bomber was released

[Spacecadet]

BBC News - Wikileaks: UK 'feared al-Megrahi jail death'

The UK feared harsh action by Libya against British interests if the Lockerbie bomber died in jail, cables published by Wikileaks claim.

The US cables say London's fully supported the release of Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi by the Scottish authorities.

[TykeMerc]

It makes sense, quite believable.

[EternalOptimist]

It makes sense, quite believable.

you know whats really weird ?

my first thoughts were about wikileaks, the arrest today. the idea of the site. the web itself. Nothing at all about lockerbie.

Its almost as if the web is taking over, its even becoming the story

[AtW]

It makes sense, quite believable.

Nah, that's impossible.

I mean the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Norther Ireland being scared of Libya?

[CheeseSlice]

Wasn't there a BP 'oil deal' at stake when this was in the papers last year?
Again, we may be seeing a blur in who was being threatened here... is it the British people, or big businesses?

[Gonzo]

I thought that it was because he wasn't really guilty and his appeals were becoming a problem for the government.

Releasing him put an end to the potential embarrassment.

[SupremeSpod]

I thought it was because he was terminally ill and only had a few weeks/months to live.

[doodab]

Some good Aussie plain talking here

BBC News - Wikileaks: Australia FM says US to blame, not Assange

[CheeseSlice]

Releasing him put an end to the potential embarrassment.

From the Wail today

The U.S. documents, released last night by the WikiLeaks website, reveal Libyan officials ‘convinced UK embassy officers that the consequences if Megrahi were to die in prison… would be harsh, immediate and not easily remedied’.

Among the ‘specific threats’ were the ‘immediate cessation of all UK commercial activity in Libya, a diminishing or severing of political ties, and demonstrations against official UK facilities’.

The papers are hugely embarrassing since they reveal that Gordon Brown’s government was in full agreement that Megrahi should be sent home.

Former Justice Secretary Jack Straw has admitted that plans to include Megrahi in the agreement were made in part for commercial reasons.

Oh dear... oh dear....

[Ignis Fatuus]

From the Wail today



Oh dear... oh dear....

Oh dear indeed. Megrahi's release was nothing to do with the UK agreement, so it hardly matters what plans Jack Straw might have made about him. But that's the Mail.