On Dec. 21, 1988, my brother was killed aboard Pan Am Flight 103 when it was bombed by Libyan terrorists over Lockerbie, Scotland. Two decades later, my family and the families of the 189 other Americans killed on that flight are finally able to claim some form of justice for our lost loved ones.
The Scottish high court convicted one Libyan intelligence officer for his involvement after the initial investigation, but the complexities of a crime perpetrated by a foreign government made it impossible to seek traditional criminal justice for all those responsible, so we turned to the civil court.
After many painful years of negotiations, the Libyan government finally agreed to pay $10 million to each victim's family. The first 80 percent of this sum was paid as planned, but the Libyan government withheld the remaining 20 percent as it negotiated restored diplomatic relations with the United States. The closer the restoration of these ties came, the harder we fought to ensure that the Libyan government was held accountable for its debt.
In July, the United States and Libya agreed that relations could be normalized only after Libya paid its full debt for its state-sponsored terrorism. On Oct. 31, the Libyan government executed full payment to the victims and their families.
While we may never know the names of all of those involved in this crime or see them face the punishment they so justly deserve, we can gain some peace from forcing the Libyan government to be accountable for its crimes. We thank Sen. Frank Lautenberg and others who stood by us the last two decades.
Kara Weipz
President
Victims of Pan Am Flight 103
[Letter from the president of the largest US organisation of relatives of those who died in the Lockerbie disaster, published in today's issue of The Philadelphia Inquirer]
Why Libya pays?:
ReplyDeleteAugust 2008: Saif El Islam Gadaffi say: "We 'played with words' to
stop Lockerbie sanctions."
Son of Libyan leader Moamar Gaddafi said that the Libyan government had only claimed responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing in order to normalize ties with the West and get international sanctions lifted.
"Yes, we wrote a letter to the Security Council saying we are
responsible for the acts of our employees... but it doesn't mean that we did it in fact," Saif al-Islam Gaddafi said in an interview to be broadcast Sunday by the British Broadcasting Corporation.
"I admit that we played with words - we had to. What can you do?
Without writing that letter we would not be able to get rid of
sanctions," said Saif al-Islam, who took a central role in the talks to end Libya's isolation.
Saif el Islam say: "I think they (the families) were very greedy and
they were trading with the blood of their sons and daughters," he
said.
"The position with them, it was very terrible and it was very
materialistic and it was very greedy and they were asking for money and more money and more money and more money.
"And they were talking just about money. Money money money money."
Why Libya pays?:
After an extensive FBI investigation, Libyan intelligence officer Abdelbaset Al Megrahi and Khalifa Fhima was eventually handed over by Libya to stand trial under Scottish law in a third country - the Netherlands, (Kamp van Zeist)
Co-accused Khalifa Fhimah was acquitted while Al Megrahi was found guilty on Jannuary 31, 2001, of mass murder (270 killed) and is
serving a life sentence (27 years) in Greenock prison at Glasgow in
Scotland. Mr Megrahi and protests till today his innocence.
The black mailing compensation from Libya:
Libya have to pay up to US$2.7 billion to settle the doubtfull claims by the families of the 270 killed in the Lockerbie bombing,
representing US$10 million per family. The Libyan offer was that:
40% of the money would be released when United Nations sanctions,
suspended in 1999, were cancelled;
another 40% when U.S. trade sanctions were lifted; and
the final 20% when the U.S. State Department removed Libya from its
list of states sponsoring terrorism, payd on November 7th 2008.
The truth is, Libya pays under blackmail only:
> to move back into the international community and bring the UN Council closer to lifting the sanctions.
> to regain full diplomatic and economic status. This would allow US oil companies to negotiate hundreds of billions of dollars worth of contracts, to drill the state's oilfields.
The evidence was controversial and many people - including some
relatives of Lockerbie victims - felt Al Megrahi didn't get a fair
trial. Last year the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (SCCRC) concluded that the Libyan may have suffered a miscarriage of justice and granted him a second appeal against his conviction.
According to the investigations and clear proves from Edwin Bollier, MEBO Ltd in Switzerland, Libya and his official Abdelbaset Al Megrahi were deliberately entangled with the bombing of PanAm 103 by the manipulated piece of evidence MST-13 timer fragment (PT-35B).
The scottish PanAm 103-Indication Process with falsified and manipulated indications.
The material evidence used to implicate Libya and his official Mr Abdelbaset al Megrahi in the Lockerbie bombing is a FAKE!
It is high time to be cleared up the miscarriage of justice with the new delayed appeal.
No doubt, Libya and Mr Megrahi have nothing to do with the Lockerbie-Tragedy!
Entitled question for the Lockerbie victims Families group (PanAm 103 aircrash):
What will happen with the "compensation" money of US$ 2,7 billion from Libya Foundation, if Mr. Abdelbaset Al Megrahi, of the same Scottish jurisdiction, is plaid innocent?
"I believe that the entire world population then expects that the unauthorized received 'compensation' should be paid back to the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation.
The reproach would be then incorrect that the survivors are greedy and have required blood money on the back of their victims."
by Edwin & Mahnaz Bollier, MEBO Ltd
The scottish PanAm 103-Indication Process with falsified and manipulated indications.
ReplyDeleteThe material evidence used to implicate Libya and his official Mr Abdelbaset al Megrahi in the Lockerbie bombing is a FAKE!
It is high time to be cleared up the miscarriage of justice with the new delayed appeal.
The Lockerbie Prophecy
The second appeal judgement in the "Lockerbie Affair" will reveal the scandalous fraud against Libya: a clear and deliberate miscarriage of justice! (conspiracy against Libya)
That’s why the Crown and the appeal judges are delaying and protracting the date of their final decision ! Their only concern is how to back out of the affair and save the respectability of the Scottisch Legal System.
But their tactics to cover up the truth about the conspiracy against Libya will be in vain.
The Scottish politicians and Lord Advocates should already prepare which measures to take against the three Judges responsible for the misjugdement, if the 'Megrahi judgement' is confirmed to be a miscarriage of justice by the High Court in Edinburgh?
Moral damage for Mr. Abdulbaset al-Megrahi, the political hostage and 'Lockerbie Victim 271':
up to now 9,7 painful years (from 27years) suffering innocently as political hostage in scottish prisons.
Extorted Compensation to the relatives of those killed in the Lockerbie bombing USD 2.7billions.
Compensation for the Boing 747 etc. at the Pan American Airways company, approx. USD 140 mio.
Financial damage because of abuse to MEBO Ltd. USD 60mio.
Financial damage by the UN-embargo for the Libyan state: approximately US$ 40billions! The Libyans suffered severely under sanctions.
Prestige damage worldwide for Great Britain and Scotland: immeasurable …
by Edwin Bollier, MEBO Ltd, Switzerland
With respect to the Lockerbie victims Families group (PanAm 103 aircrash).
ReplyDeletePlease Remembering also for:
the Libyan political hostage and 'Lockerbie victim 271' Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, suffering since April 6th, 1999 until now painful years, innocent in scottish prisons...
Remembering also about the suffering of the Libyan people during the years of sanctions. How many died because of lack of medical supplies or hospital equipment?
Remembering also IR-655: Shot down over Persian Gulf, killing all 290 passengers...
On Sunday July 3, 1988, Iran Air Flight 655 (IR655) which was a commercial flight operated by from Bandar Abbas, Iran to Dubai. The aircraft flying IR655 was shot down by the U.S. Navy guided missile cruiser USS Vincennes between Bandar Abbas and Dubai, killing all 290 passengers and crew aboard, including 38 non-Iranians and 66 children, 8 of them less than 2 years old. The Vincennes was inside Iranian territorial waters at the time of the shoot-down. According to the U.S. government, the Iranian aircraft was mistakenly identified as an attacking military fighter. Unfurtunetly the United States government however has, to date, never officially apologized to the Iranian People. More on: www.payvand.com/news/08/feb/1117.html
Comparison with the US Compensation for the Iranian Victims (IranAir Flight 655):
The US assessment between American human and Muslim human...
From Wikipedia: Iran Air Flight 655, was a civilian airliner shot down by US missile cruiser USS Vincennes on July 3th 1988.
Compensation by US$ 61.8 million of the claim compensation for the 248 Iranians killed in the shootdown ($ 300,000 per wage-earning victim, US$ 150,000 per non-wage-earner).
With respect, Edwin and Mahnaz Bollier, MEBO
Given 'ebols' three comments above - I take it he will refuse to accept a penny of the 'up to $200 MILLION reward he confirmed he has expectations of for 'assisting' in obtaining the release of Megrahi (Whom I believe is totally innocent).
ReplyDeleteFor ebol to criticise others for accepting money really is un-acceptable. Would he care to reveal HIS sources of financial support over the past nearly 20 years?
For HIM to talk about conspiracy really does stretch credability too, too far!
For his English to remain so poor after 19+ years of interrogations, interviews and evidence is both deeply puzzling and somewhat disingenuous.