Some snippets from today's press

[From a letter in the Daily Telegraph:]

The Lockerbie bomber was tried by Scottish judges in a neutral country with the agreement of the Libyans. Why can't a similar arrangement be reached with Jordan regarding the trial of Abu Qatada, the extremist cleric (...)?

Then evidence can be monitored to ensure nothing obtained under torture is presented, and if found guilty the defendant can be sent to Jordan.

[From a report in the Belfast Telegraph:]

Victims of IRA terrorism should not expect direct compensation from the new Libyan government, a businessman with links to the country has warned.

However, Peter Lismore, chairman of the Libyan Irish Business Council, believes the country’s government will make a contribution to the International Fund of Ireland, or a new fund, as a gesture of goodwill. (...)

As part of its rapprochement with the west the Gaddafi regime made an “ex gratia” payment of $7.5m (£4.72m) to each of the families of the 270 people who died in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie in 1998. [RB: The amount paid was $10m per family. The reduced amount mentioned above may reflect the contingency fee paid to the US law firm
Kreindler & Kreindler.]

That payment was authorised by Abdul Atti al-Obeidi, Prime Minister of Libya under Gaddafi. Mr al Obeidi was detained by rebel forces in August of last year. “He is now on trial for settling that claim; the charge is over-compensating the victims and wasting state funds,” Mr Lismore said.

“Al Obeidi could be released soon but these charges show the present regime’s attitude towards compensation compared to the previous regime.”