There must still be suspicions over Gaddafi’s past involvement with Lockerbie. But it is right to deal with those who renounce terrorism, however distasteful
Nothing can heal the wound left by a child, a parent or a loved one lost to terrorism. And for the relatives of the victims murdered aboard Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie in 1988, the past 21 years have been especially hard. For a long time they had no idea who had carried out the atrocity. When finally the suspects were named, they suffered the frustration of Libya’s refusal to extradite the men for trial. And even after the conviction in The Hague of Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi, there are many who believe that the 270 victims were not killed by one man acting alone: that a conspiracy involved many others, not least the Libyan leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.
To see Colonel Gaddafi received with full honours at the United Nations in September will therefore be particularly galling. Lockerbie families have voiced shock and outrage at the news that this former supporter of global terrorism will address the General Assembly on the opening day, immediately after President Obama. To them, he is still a murderer, the man who ordered the outrage; his visit has left the president of the victims’ families group “speechless”.
[From a leader in The Times of 23 July 2009.
The leader writer might also have mentioned that there are many who believe that the 270 victims were not killed by Abdelbaset Megrahi at all; and that his conviction is currently under appeal, on a reference from the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission. But expecting accuracy and even-handedness on the part of The Times over Lockerbie is a forlorn hope.
The news story that seemingly prompted the leader can be read here. It is interesting that the newspaper reports comments only from American relatives of Pan Am 103 victims, not from UK relatives, at least some of whom have very different views.]
I agree. The Times appears to be the mouthpiece of the Establishment/permanent unelected government, who bit by bit are using the media to create doubt to counteract all the evidence that shows Megrahi is innocent in order to cover up their manipulation of Megrahi's trial. Their influence is pervasive and Fraser's smearing of Dr Swire was I'm sure the beginning of their desperate campaign to twist facts.
ReplyDeleteI think they must be quite alarmed by Christine Grahame's actions but no doubt the police will say they have fully investigated the matter but can find no evidence of wrongdoing
Harris Book Sheds New Light on Lockerbie Bombing Case
ReplyDeletePaul Harris
23/07/2009Region : All
A book, written by former journalist and intelligence analyst Paul Harris, produces new evidence that the Libyan Abdel Baset al-Megrahi was wrongly convicted of the Lockerbie bombing. This information comes as the Scottish Justice Minister, Kenny MacAskill is poised to intervene in the case.
The author of More Thrills than Skills: Adventures in Journalism, War & Terrorism says that the evidence of the key witness in the 2001 Camp Zeist trial must be regarded as “deeply suspect”. Swiss businessman Edwin Bollier testified that a piece of electronic circuit board found later at the crash site near Lockerbie was made by his company and supplied to the Libyans. Harris reveals that he investigated Bollier for MI6, the British intelligence agency, in the early 1970s, long before the Lockerbie bombing.
Harris regards the circuit board evidence as unreliable. Far more convincing, he says, is other evidence found at the crash site indicating that a Toshiba cassette recorder, planted by the Damascus-based terror group PFLP-GC, was responsible for the explosion aboard Pan Am 103.
Harris’s personal experiences in relation to the case are recounted in More Thrills than Skills, pages 39-47 (published by Kennedy & Boyd, Glasgow/amazon.co.uk).
Bio note: Paul Harris worked as Specialist Contributor Terrorism & Counter Insurgency for Janes Intelligence Review 1993-2003. He was also a contributing foreign correspondent for Sky News, The Scotsman and Scotland on Sunday, and Colombo correspondent for The Daily Telegraph (2001-2).
The book launch takes place at 10 London Street, Edinburgh, on July 22 at 1830 hours where the author (telephone 07717 618400) will be available for interview.
CONTACT INFORMATION: Stuart Johnston (publisher) 07967 646044
Contact: Paul Harris
Phone: 07717 618400
Email: polaris@conflictanalysis.com
MISSION LOCKERBIE:
ReplyDeleteThe book "New Light on Lockerbie-bombing Case" from ex MI6 investigator, Paul Harris (Colombo) and the video documentation "Air Crash Investigation Lockerbie" pt1-pt5, from a former student, alias, "CaptainFox91," is an example for a professional disinformation campaign of secret services. This alleged truth story is based on official reports and aywitness accounts. mixed with deliberately wrong evidences!
To whom the crime of PanAm 103 drops back, if it is judicially confirmed that the manipulated MST-13 timer fragment (PT-35 (B) does not descendent of a timer was supplied to Libya ?
CIA chief Leon Panetta your next invitation programme lines up to PanAm 103/Lockerbie...
by Edwin Bollier, MEBO Ltd. Switzerland
I commented on the timesonline article as follows:
ReplyDelete'Libya holds a two-year seat on the UN Security Council and its three-time Ambassador to the UN, Ali Treki, was recently elected this session’s General Assembly president.'
"Against the background of the Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Megrahi's second appeal against conviction, which is ongoing in Scotland and is likely to result in his release from jail, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is scheduled to address the UN on September 23, 2009.
"In his speech, Gaddafi is expected to call for a United Nations Inquiry into the death of UN Commissioner for Namibia, Bernt Carlsson, in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing (see http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/UNInquiry/).
"It will be interesting to see how the Member States react to Gaddafi's proposal."
It will also be interesting to see whether my comment is published by timesonline.
It must be very upsetting for the American families to have Colonel Gaddafi address the United Nations but that is the price you pay for being the permanent host to the General Assembly. I think it is remarkable that Colonel gaddafi has clung to power longer post-Lockerbie than pre-Lockerbie.
ReplyDeleteIt should be remembered that the UN Security Council was duped or bullied into seving Western interests in the Lockerbie case when the USA was the world's sole superpower in a way that may never be repeated.
I think the fact the Colonel will be addressing the General assembly demonstrates the basic incongruity of the official "Libyan solution" to Lockerbie in purporting to treat an act of war as a Criminal and Civil matter.
The Times leader was quite accurate. Whether or not you dispute the guilt of Mr Megrahi the reality is that he is a convicted mass murderer and is likely to remain so.
Mr Megrahi is just a pawn in the game. While it must be a bummer to be wrongly convicted of mass-murder he is paying the price for his career choice. It is indisputable he was in the business of procuring sophisticated timers (from Mr Bollier) which I presume were not to be used for boiling eggs.
Libya was blamed for reasons largely but not entirely unrelated to the bombing itself. The object of the indictment was sanctions and regime change and in a sense there has been regime change, at least in Libya's external policies in order to bring an end to sanctions. (Domestically it is the same gangster state.)
Colonel Gaddafi's actions not Mr Megrahi's were central to the plan to blame Libya. The demands made of Libya subsequent to the imposition of UN Sanctions went far beyond the Lockerbie and UTA772 issues and contrary to the Times leader the extradition of the two suspects (contrary to Libya's Legal obligations under the Montreal Treaty) would not have brought an end to sancions. I don't believe the West actually wanted the two suspects extradited although they had to pretend they did. The "Libyan solution" was a work of political genius.
The Lockerbie case has been an abuse of the Criminal Justice system for objectives that may be regarded as laudable. For example I think it is a good thing that Libya was forced to renounce support for the IRA.
Unfortunately I find the logic inescapable that if Mr Megrahi was "fitted-up" for this atrocity then the authorities must have known in advance that flight PA103 was targetted for destruction. I also suspect the evil, vicious, brutal and quite unnecessary murder of a British family in 1992 was intimately related to "Lockerbie".
Essentially I regard Lockerbie as a joint venture between "Iran" and Western spooks.
p.s. I think Patrick Haseldine's claim that "it is expected" Colonel Gaddafi will use his speech to call for an investigation into the death of Berndt Carlsson is wishful thinking. (Carlsson like everybody else on PA103 was murdered because he was a passenger on PA103) I doubt Colonel Gaddafi (if he turns up) will mention Lockerbie at all!
"It is indisputable he was in the business of procuring sophisticated timers (from Mr Bollier) which I presume were not to be used for boiling eggs."
ReplyDelete- Thank you Baz!
Baz,
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean by
"I also suspect the evil, vicious, brutal and quite unnecessary murder of a British family in 1992 was intimately related to "Lockerbie".
Ruth - Please see part II of "The Masonic Verses" at http://ezeecon.blogspot.com "The Mysterious Life and Death of Ian Spiro".
ReplyDelete