shirleymckie.myfastforum.org

scotkaz · Joined: 28 Aug 2008 Posts: 523

There are many prisoners who are very ill in US jails, Mr Duggan is correct. What he fails to explain is that more often than not, they do not get the proper medical treatment and are left to die in their cells. I have just this week lost a friend who needed medical treatment for many years and didnt get it. Other prisoners tried in vain to get the nurse and the doctors to look at him but they were in no rush to do anything. He died from complications in his cell.

Is this what Mr Duggan suggests we allow to happen to Mr Megrahi?

I thought we had a tad more compassion than that?

scotkaz · Joined: 28 Aug 2008 Posts: 523

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00m0g9t/Newsnight_05_08_2009/

This video on BBC I player is Newsnight which was on last night. If you fast forward about 22 mins and there is an interview re Mr Megrahi and his case.

Big Wullie · Joined: 25 Apr 2007 Posts: 1149 Location: Glasgow

Emotional Blackmail if they make him drop his appeal.

Wasn't ill enough for Bail.

I really do not believe Mr Duggan (The American) does not believe Megrahi is ill at-all but then again it must seem like that to them.

Christine Graham believes he is Innocent.

Duggan says no question of Guilt.

Just shows how easy the American's are fooled.

According to Duggan no one in Scotland have any credibility Professor Black and SCCRC .

The only way out is Compassionate Release but look at the condition Biggs had to be in before compassion took over.
_________________
http://justiceforwulliebeck.webs.com/index.htm

http://williambeck.blogspot.com/

http://williambeck.wordpress.com/about/

Big Wullie · Joined: 25 Apr 2007 Posts: 1149 Location: Glasgow

The Church Of Scotland has now joined the voice of concern over the release of Megrahi on compassionate release though are criticised by the American Families who will accept nothing other than blood and death it would seem.

I have every sympathy with all the families but keeping an Innocent man in prison is not the answer.

Even if on the face of it he is Innocent, then he should be allowed the benefit of doubt, and in my book SCCRC would never have referred his case if they thought there was any doubt about his guilt.

While at their conference Peter Duff (Ex SCCRC Member) told everyone that SCCRC had rejected a case which was a stone walled certainty to win an appeal, because they were convinced of his guilt.

So this case has my backing 110%

http://news.scotsman.com/scotland...rbie-bomber-Kirk-urges.5537638.jp
_________________
http://justiceforwulliebeck.webs.com/index.htm

http://williambeck.blogspot.com/

http://williambeck.wordpress.com/about/

Big Wullie · Joined: 25 Apr 2007 Posts: 1149 Location: Glasgow

It is interesting to note Mr MacAskill meeting with all these Libyan's yet when Bill Kidd SNP MSP asked for a meeting to discuss the Inconsistencies within the referrals of SCCRC Bill Kidd is Ignored and not even afforded a two minute meeting.

Does this mean MacAskill is employing a two tiered Judicial System, One for the rich and another for the poor.

After all Bill Kidd was wanting to discuss the organisation responsible for the referral of Megrahi's case back to the appeal court.

What have the Libyan's got that Bill Kidd doesn't when foreigners are afforded access to our Justice System while we (Scots) are ignored ?

This Man MacAskill is not fit for purpose.

http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/n...cAskill_about_fate_of_Megrahi.php
_________________
http://justiceforwulliebeck.webs.com/index.htm

http://williambeck.blogspot.com/

http://williambeck.wordpress.com/about/

Big Wullie · Joined: 25 Apr 2007 Posts: 1149 Location: Glasgow

Only time will tell if the following story has any substance

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/s...nment---rejects-claims.5549129.jp

Government rejects claims Lockerbie bomber set to be released

« Previous « PreviousNext » Next »View GalleryPublished Date: 13 August 2009
By Craig Brown
THE Scottish Government moved to quash growing speculation last night that the Lockerbie bomber would be released within days on compassionate grounds to return to Libya.
Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi, who has terminal prostate cancer, was sentenced to life in prison for blowing up a US airliner as it flew over Lockerbie in 1988, killing all 259 people on board and 11 on the ground.

However, high-level talks between UK officials and Libyan authorities and a meeting between Scotland's justice secretary, Kenny MacAskill, and Megrahi in Greenock Prison had led to increased speculation that a transfer deal would be reached that would see him return home before Ramadan next week.

The minister has already heard the views of others, including relatives of some of the 270 victims of the December 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.

The transfer request was made by Libya to the UK government last May, less than a week after a treaty allowing prisoners to be transferred between the two countries was ratified. Megrahi is serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 27 years.

A spokesman for First Minister Alex Salmond insisted last night that the reports he was to be released within days were "complete speculation".

He said: "No decision has been taken, either on the application for compassionate release or the application under the prisoner transfer agreement and so it is entirely speculation."

The spokesman said there was no timescale for when a decision would be reached.

It emerged earlier this month that no decision on the appeal against conviction would be reached until the autumn, after one of the judges involved underwent heart surgery.

Dr Jim Swire, who has campaigned for the release of the Megrahi said last night if it proved to be true, then it would be "a day for jubilation": "I would be delighted if he was to go home soon as possible. And if it was to be on compassionate grounds, I would be delighted as well. It would be to Scotland's credit if that was the case, rather than using the Prisoner Transfer Agreement.

Pamela Dix, from UK Families Flight 103, said there had been a "lack of justice" for those killed in the tragedy.

Asked whether his release would be a coup for Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi on the 40th anniversary of his rise to power, she said: "That may well be the case. I'm not really in a position to judge the political situation in Libya."
_________________
http://justiceforwulliebeck.webs.com/index.htm

http://williambeck.blogspot.com/

http://williambeck.wordpress.com/about/

Big Wullie · Joined: 25 Apr 2007 Posts: 1149 Location: Glasgow

Will Scots Justice recover if Megrahi is made to drop his appeal to be allowed home to spend his last few months with his family ? I think not

Wonder if MacAskill would give info in an FOI if asked what was said to Megrahi, or if any pressure was placed on him to drop his appeal.

scotkaz · Joined: 28 Aug 2008 Posts: 523

http://www.sundaypost.com/postindex.htm

Al-Megrahi has been let down by Scottish legal system

By Craig Robertson

TWO burning desires have sustained Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi during his time in prison in Scotland — to return home to Libya and to prove his innocence.

In his final days he has been forced to choose between the two.

A combination of his health — he’s dying of prostate cancer — and the serpentine machinations of global politics meant he could return home to die a guilty man or pass away, in the eyes of many Libyans, as a martyr in Scotland. He could not do both.

Politicians in Westminster and Holyrood have already been quick to deny any pressure was placed on the man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing to drop his appeal but many feel that is stretching credibility to breaking point.

Certainly those closest to him are adamant it was something he would never have voluntarily chosen to do.

Heartbreaking

One man who knows al-Megrahi better than most, former MP Tam Dalyell, has no doubt it was a heartbreaking decision for him to make.

“When I saw him last in Greenock Prison he said to me very movingly, ‘I’m desperate to go back to Tripoli. I want to see my children grow up there. But I want to go back there an innocent man’.”

Mr Dalyell is certain that being transferred home on compassionate grounds was dependent on al-Megrahi dropping his appeal. He says it is the only way the 57-year-old Libyan would have done so.

“He was effectively forced to choose between returning home to die and proving his innocence. I know how difficult it must have been for him to drop his appeal. It’s not a decision he could have come to easily.”

Mr Dalyell believes the complicated manoeuvrings that have brought about al-Megrahi’s imminent return home have been designed to circumvent his appeal process.

“His appeal going ahead was the last thing people in Washington wanted. It was the last thing Whitehall wanted.

“If the appeal had gone ahead then all the dirty washing would have been aired in public and they very much did not want that.”

One of the many conspiracy theories surrounding Lockerbie and the al-Megrahi case is the belief that it would have suited many for the appeal process to outlast the former intelligence officer at the centre of it.

However while his death in prison would have rescued the likes of Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill from the horns of a dilemma it would not have ended the appeal.

The process would have gone on despite his death and Tam Dalyell believes this is something those in authority were anxious to avoid.

He says there ought now to be a public inquiry but the success of that depends on the release of all evidence that had been at the disposal of the defence team.

“It depends on just what papers the defence has and how many of them will come out at a public inquiry. If the truth does come out it will be very uncomfortable for a number of parties.

“I have no doubt whatsoever as to al-Megrahi’s innocence. He was not the person responsible for the bombing of Pan Am 103.

“My certainty over this is based quite simply on my reading of all the evidence. Although I have met him several times, in Barlinnie and Greenock, this has not altered my view one way or the other.”

Along with Dr Jim Swire, the Rev. John Mosey and Professor Robert Black, Mr Dalyell was instrumental in persuading Libya to hand over al-Megrahi to stand trial under Scottish law.

Acquitted

His argument to Colonel Gaddafi was based on his own deep-held belief in the fairness of the Scottish legal system. He now feels that was misplaced.

“He was found guilty while his co-accused, Amin Khalifa Fhimah, was acquitted because of the excellent performance of his solicitor Eddie McKechnie and his advocate Richard Keen.

“If al-Megrahi had been represented by them the judges couldn’t possibly have found him guilty or even not proven. The Scottish legal system let him down.”

While many British relatives of the victims of the Lockerbie bombing have expressed their satisfaction at his impending release the American relatives are vehemently against it. Convinced of his guilt, they have angrily condemned the decision and have called for him to die in jail.

While Tam Dalyell respects their feelings he has no doubt their convictions are based on misinformation.

“I understand the feelings of the American relatives but they have been lied to. What really happened is known in Washington — all the way to the President of the United States — but the families have never been told.”

Amid the turmoil over al-Megrahi’s release Tam Dalyell finds time for sympathy for one man at the eye of the storm, Kenny MacAskill.

Despite describing his one-time rival candidate in West Lothian as being “ruder about me than all my previous opponents put together”, Dalyell respects MacAskill’s role in bringing this drama to an end — albeit one that will not satisfy everyone.

“I’ve backed him for actually going to visit al-Megrahi and realise the difficult position that placed him in. He’s been in an almost impossible spot but the right thing is being done. He is innocent and the sooner he is out the better.

“The pity is that in the end he has had to choose between freedom and innocence.”

Al-Megrahi will this week begin his final journey, going home to die a guilty man.

Although he will probably be spirited out of Greenock Prison under cover of darkness, it will inevitably be done under the watching and judgmental eyes of the world.
_________________
Great Spirit, grant that I may not criticize my neighbor until I have walked a mile in his moccasins." - Old Native American Indian Prayer that my dad taught me.

Big Wullie · Joined: 25 Apr 2007 Posts: 1149 Location: Glasgow

How convenient to blame the UK government:

scotkaz · Joined: 28 Aug 2008 Posts: 523

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/8205528.stm

Scotland's senior judge, the Lord Justice General, Lord Hamilton, said it was important the Crown appeal issue was resolved quickly.

"It appears to the court to be of the utmost importance that an early decision be made by the lord advocate as to whether she is to insist or not to insist on that appeal," he said.

He added: "The court urges her to reach a decision on that matter without undue delay."

What right does the Lord President, Lord Hamilton have to try and influence the Lord Advocate to hurry up any appeal against Mr Megrahi's sentence??
It would appear to anyone watching the news today that the Lord President appeared to try and influence the Lord Advocate to drop her appeal against the sentence so Megrahi can go home.