Justice V Jingoism

scotkaz · Justice V Jingoism

http://blogs.news.sky.com/boulton...69b38-9d6e-4fd0-9700-b8eb7d9ac552

The ever-louder venting of anger from the United States over the release of the Lockerbie bomber Megrahi demonstrates yet again how difficult we find it to separate our personal feelings from questions of justice which should be beyond emotion.

Our friends across the Atlantic seem to have particular problems in this area.

From President Obama downward Americans believe Megrahi killed more than 200 of their fellow countrymen so they have condemned the Scottish Government for letting him go on grounds of compassion to a dying man. (Libyans displayed unthinking jingoism too with the hero’s receptiom given to the returning convict.)

It is quite different in the US when it comes to foreigntreatment of one of their own citizens. Amanda ‘Foxy’ Knoxy, is the young American woman now on trial in Italy for the murder of the British student Meredith Kercher. I was astonished to see her whole family, parents and children, invited on Good Morning America and treated with cloying sympathy for all the world as if they were victims of a miscarriage of justice.

Similarly back in 1995 there was such an outcry led by US officials when a Singapore court had the audacity to sentence a young American, Michael P Fay, to the cane for theft and vandalism that his punishment was reduced from six to four strokes. And John Walker, the so called ‘American Taliban” arrested in Afghanistan was of course treated to usual US court justice unlike the other occupants of Guantanamo, including Britons.

Now getting tough with foreigners is quite another matter for Uncle Sam, as we know from Abu Ghraib and rendition. Or the cases of Nicky Ingram, the British murderer executed in the US and Kenny Richey, the Scot who faced twenty years of obstruction in his efforts to get off death row.

Perhaps the most egregious example of double standards is the disgracefully one sided extradition treaty agreed by Britain’s Labour government. Supposed to be a weapon against terrorists it has so far been used to nab the NatWest Three, some allegedly crooked bankers and, it seems likely, a mentally ill computer hacker who was looking for UFOs. I wouldn’t like to be in Gary McKinnon’s shoes right now given the mood of righteous indignation right now in the USA.

Perhaps Americans – along with the rest of us - should take a deep breath and ask themselves just how righteous outrage really is when so-called justice is in question.

Big Wullie

Scotkaz

I have to agree with the Americans on the release of Megrahi.

If as Mr MacAskill claimed he stands by the conviction and prasied the police and court service then technically he has released the biggest mass Murderer ever to stand on our shores.

Now compare this with the release of Ronnie Biggs

At least Ronnie Biggs is not in a fit state to commit any more Train Robberies, and this was the only reason he was released.

As much as I believe Megrahi should have been released (Because I believe In his Innocence) he could have been kept in Scotland.

I do not for one minute believe the Justice Secretary when he said Security would have been a Nightmare, Megrahi's Son has been out living it up at out at our nightclubs and partying it up with no fear of reprisals, His family lived problem free at Newton Mearns for years, Why could he not have done the same.

Biggs was only released because he was no longer a threat, can the same be said about the condition of Megrahi.

If Scotland wanted to save any face when freeing Megrahi they could have made the appeal process more quicker, because I believe this would have freed him in the end.

scotkaz

I agree with what you are saying Wullie.

I think that Mr Megrahi should have been freed and kept in Scotland too.
He should not have had to drop his appeal either.

I can understand some of the anger the Americans feel but this part of the statement from the Sky News site really is the crux of the matter for me.

david · megrahi appeal

Totally agree that Mr Megrahi's appeal should have continued.

There is only one reason the appeal didn't continue and that is to protect America and the UK. America stating its a disgrace he has been released is a disgrace in itself. If the truth was to emerge by way of Mr megrahi's appeal then the US and the UK would have alot to answer for. They fitted an innocent man up for the murder of 270 people and the SCCRC investigation supports this.

Does anyone believe Mr McCaskill made this decision on his own or was he perhaps influenced by higher powers who remain determined to continue with this glaringly obvious cover up.

David

Iain McKie

An extremely interesting article by Jim Sillars that sums things up pretty well.

http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman....Jim-Sillars-A-mockery-.5579662.jp

Big Wullie

Iain

I found this article most interesting in Particular the following:

Angeline

Excellent article, but I learned something today that left me speechless. In Scotland, you don't just wake up one morning and decide, "You know, I don't think I'm going to bother with that appeal after all - I'll just drop it."

Oh no, an application to abandon the appeal process has to be made, and then accepted by a judge (or judges, dependent on the case). The appeal is then recorded as "dismissed."

So, to whom was the application to abandon this appeal made? That judge (or judges) could have refused to allow the abandonment, surely - otherwise, what would be the point of the application process in the first place?

The real point I am making is that not only was pressure almost certainly put on Mr Megrahi to drop his appeal, but there also had to be an absolute cetainty that the judges to whom his application to abandon was made, would accept the application. And in double quick time!

Just how much of the system is tangled in this particular web? And where does that leave any concept of real justice for the rest of us?

Justice V Jingoism

megrahi appeal