Lockerbie Bomber Totally At Death's Door This Time, Won't Be Extradited

Back in 2009, Abdel Basset al-Megrahi, the only person convicted in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland was released from prison on "compassionate" grounds, ostensibly because he was expected to die from prostate cancer within three months. (The real reason, according to a U.S. Senate report, had to do with lucrative Libyan oil contracts sought by British-based oil giant BP.) Upon his return to Tripoli, al-Megrahi received a hero's welcome, and he's been living in luxury ever since. But now CNN reports that he really is so totally going to die soon, and his family is sad.

With the fall of Gadhafi, there was hope that al-Megrahi would be extradited back to Scotland to die in prison, instead of surrounded by his loving relatives—a fate denied the families of the 246 people killed in the bombing. But the National Transitional Council, the rebel movement that toppled Gadhafi, announced yesterday that extradition was not an option. "We will not give any Libyan citizen to the West," NTC Justice Minister Mohammed al-Alagi said in a statement. Yeah, it's not like "the West" has done anything for them lately, anyway.

And in what was surely not a publicity charade to quell the outrage over al-Megrahi's continued existence, CNN reporter Nic Robertson was invited to visit al-Megrahi in his fancy home. He'd hoped to conduct an interview and ask al-Megrahi whether Gadhafi was involved in the bombing, but he found him incapacitated: "oxygen mask on his face... the drip hanging a foot from his head. His skin seemed paper-thin, his face sallow and sunken."

His son tells Robertson, "We just give him oxygen. Nobody gives us any advice. And some food by injection (drip) ... If you see his body he is weak." And so Robertson departed after ten minutes in the room with al-Megrahi and zero questions answered. If al-Megrahi sprang from his bed as soon as the door shut and restarted his Dance Dance Revolution game where he left off, Robertson wasn't there to report it.

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By John Del Signore in News on August 29, 2011 11:42 AM

Comments [rss]

StarryGordon

I think it would have been more interesting to have him answer a few questions. Torture, like pornography, gets boring after a few minutes, unless you're really into it.

proudliberal1947

What mercy did he show those he MURDERED, maybe it is a SECRET plea from the Anti American corporate OWNED Terrorist loving republican Party that wants to show compassion on one of their OWN Loyal Followers, always ready to KILL for the PARTY.

This is right up the alley of the Anti America corporate OWNED TERRORIST loving republican party, one of their OWN going down and they can not openly praise him. Maybe bachmann or perry will console him.

Adam Moreira

This had better be real this time...those people have a way of making up things.

crusher153

after knowing someone directly affected by what that animal did. i just assume to let him rot where he is. pay that shithead no mind and let him suffer for whatever time he has left.

although it would be nice to get him well enough to fly him over lockerbie and dump him out without a parachute.

LICnative

If any of the western nations take custody of him, they'll be responsible for providing physical comfort and medical care. Let him die in agony, his own people have already stolen his medications. He deserves none of our pity. Maybe NATO can get the rebels to shut off his power and water. Die painfully, then throw a cruise missle through the front door.

B Tog

Why's he wearing glasses?

whitecastlerock

Let the families of those he murdered set him on fire–one match at a time. Fuck him...

FU Boy

Honestly, let him die where he is.

In the realm of international diplomacy, there is no benefit to getting him back. Trying to would just be an attempt to save face after failing to keep him in jail.

Scotland spilled the milk and we're still crying over it. We could clean it up, but then we'd be drinking milk that's been mopped off the floor.

Dirk

We've seen this ruse before. "Sick" or not, they should just ship this guy back to Scotland.

Mr Mel

Pretty good bet the Scots had something to do with his early release as well.

Daniel

So the British government can arrange another deal to release him for barrels of oil?

Sulayman

You mean undo a pardon? Can they even do that?

Guest

Send him back to Scotland so they can negotiate another deal under the table for his release?

etypical

they should just bury him alive.

ANGRYGOD11

Mafia bosses perfected the art of looking like they are dying, in front of a judge, for decades. Maybe this guy picked up a few pointers?

jibbly

I mean the fucker deserves to die in a prison, but sending him back - even after western nations have been an enormous help with the revolution - would probably piss off everyone in Libya purely due to nationalistic fervor.

Mr Mel

Ghadafi not only hoodwinked the Brits (or did he) but got the oil companies he was involved with to pay the reparations to the victims. Every oil company, everywhere, should be nationalized, they protect only their own interests. They have no interest in their home countries or anyone else in this world.

ANGRYGOD11

After a dictatorship in place since the Beatles were still recording, the people might have other things to worry about.

jibbly

Obviously, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they won't be outraged by something symbolic like this.

Spirit of 76

I wouldn't mind seeing him live just a little while longer, if only he was conscious. Long enough to see his benefactor, the great leader, be mowed down in a hail of gunfire, more riddled with holes than a wheel of Swiss cheese. Just so he knows with his dying breath that his life and career supporting the dictator was ultimately completely meaningless.