This is the heading over a long post on Caustic Logic's blog The Lockerbie Divide. The post consists of a thoughtful discussion of Father Pat Keegans's recent letter to US Lockerbie families and of the reaction quoted in the original report in The Herald from one US relative, to the effect that an inquiry into the safety of the conviction of Abdelbaset Megrahi would "open old wounds".
The questions that Caustic Logic poses to the US relatives are questions that can equally be addressed to the Scottish Government which, notwithstanding the findings of the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission, continues to parrot the mantra that it does "not doubt the safety of the verdict against Abdelbaset al-Megrahi.”
I like what Adam is doing on his blog where this area of the US relatives is concerned. It is highly sensitive obviously and they should not think we do not understand the enormity of their predicament after all they have gone through already. That they seem unwilling to let go of the original verdict is understandable when they believe it represented closure. But only up to a point. When it is fact, not mere opinion, which points to something being terribly wrong with that verdict - and the SCCRC findings are based on pure fact - it should, I believe, lead them to want to make sure we really did get the right guy. The SCCRC dealt in cold facts. Jim Swire has been where the US relatives were and his family deserve closure too. I'm sure he wanted closure at the time but something has not allowed him to rest. Only a full investigation can deliver closure and, indeed, justice.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Professor Black, and Jo G, for comments here and there. I didn't update the post yet to reflect the SCCRC decision, but will. I'm glad you caught the sensitivity as I'm trying to both a provocative a****** and aware of the difficulties and invested feelings here. Someone among them has to be waking up here fairly soon, I hope.
ReplyDeleteA provocative a******? You Adam? ; )
ReplyDelete