[This is the headline over a report published in The Herald on this date in 2008. It reads as follows:]
A new campaign for compassionate release of the man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing comes with a claim of police interference at the start of the investigation.
As the Justice For Megrahi campaign was launched yesterday, Father Patrick Keegans, the priest in Lockerbie at the time, revealed that he had been visited by police during the inquiry and asked to keep to the official line - that Libya was responsible.
Fr Keegans and Dr Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora died in the tragedy that killed 270 people on December 21, 1988, yesterday launched the campaign calling for the people of Scotland to show compassion towards the man convicted of the bombing and allow his release on bail.
Speaking yesterday to launch the campaign, they revealed that they will be writing to MSPs and heads of all religious groups to garner support.
The launch comes just days after The Herald published the first interview with the wife and family of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi, the Libyan serving a life sentence in HMP Greenock for the bombing.
Speaking exclusively to this newspaper, Aisha Megrahi said: "Please release him so he can spend what few days he has left at home with his family."
Just two weeks before the 20th anniversary of the UK's deadliest terrorist attack, she described her heartbreak at discovering that her husband is suffering from terminal cancer and of being able to see him for only 30 minutes a week, in line with prison rules.
Last month, appeal court judges ruled that Megrahi should not be let out on bail while his lengthy appeal continues, provoking fears that he will die in jail before his case can be heard. Lawyers are now expected to apply to Scottish ministers to seek his release from prison on compassionate grounds.
The campaign team, which includes Professor Robert Black, one of the architects of the original trial at Camp Zeist, hopes to influence public opinion to aid such a move.
Fr Keegans, who witnessed the aftermath of the bombing, spoke yesterday of his conviction that Megrahi is innocent and said he was moved to speak out after reading of the family's suffering in The Herald.
"My conscience has moved so much over the past two days that I wrote to Mr Megrahi offering him my support, telling him that I was convinced he is innocent and that I would willingly offer support to him and his family," said the priest.
"I can only imagine what his wife and family go through when visiting him for just half an hour a week and the constant wondering whether when they say goodbye - whether it will be the last.
"I really became convinced of his innocence when the whole thrust of the case shifted from Syria and Iran to Libya alone. Interference in my own life by the investigation team convinced me.
"A police officer asked to come along and speak to me. I listened to him for quite a while and then I said: Have you come here to ask me to be silent?' He said that the point was that when you speak people listen and we would appreciate it if you could follow our line of Libya alone'.
"I complained to the Lord Advocate about it at the time and got a very bland response. The very fact that they interfered and took the trouble to come to talk to me made up my mind that I was on the right track. Other people had similar experiences."
Dr Swire, who yesterday visited Megrahi in prison for the second time, said he noticed a change in the Libyan's appearance.
"As a doctor I am certain that if he were out and with his family rather than in custody, then he would be able to live much longer," he said. "He is clearly a man who is not physically well."
He paid tribute to Megrahi's family for their loyalty, which had extended to the Libyan's daughter Ghada deciding to get married in Barlinnie prison when her father was held there.
A spokesman for the Crown Office said: "While the appeal is ongoing all that is appropriate for us to do is comment in court on the evidence."
The campaign group plan to mark the 20th anniversary of the disaster later this month with a service in the chapel of Heathrow Airport.
DOSSIER LOCKERBIE, 2015 - google translation, German/English - MEBO's "dissertation" about the questionable SCCRC - Lockerbie-Report:
ReplyDeleteSecond offensive from MEBO, about the 'Lockerbie Conclusion' of the 'Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission' (SCCRC).
The Lockerbie case remains an open criminal investigation (also in Switzerland) and while the only place to determine guilt or innocence is in a court of law, the SCCRC could be a valuable body but it is itself part of the Scottish justice system. It is a clear conflict of interest.
CHAPTER 8 - THE TIMER FRAGMENT PT/35(b) > Overall conclusion in relation to PT/35(b) Page 134 to 198:
The first presented original MST-13 timer fragment (PT-35) black cabonized, allegedly found in Lockerbie, came from a prototype timer, which was not delivered to Libya !
Why were at Siemens in Munich, on 27 April 1990, on the original, black carbonized MST-13 timer fragment (PT-35) the significant features, of 3 handmade scratches and the letter “M” (short form for “Muster” = sample” in the German language) polished out or wiped out ?
The original fragment on the photo (red circle) showed at a second look klear, 3 handmade scratches and the letter “M”.
Why had at Siemens, the decisive MST-13 timer fragment (Circuit Board) (PT-35) to be sawn into two parts (PT-35/b and DP-31/a) ?
The division was not needed from "forensic point of view"; So two parts were needed for future replacement for a Patchwork with, two different sections). The greater part of the piece has been replaced with a (green duplicate) - marked as
(PT-35/b) - coated on both sides with green solder masks ...
The second part DP-31/a was still from the origial prototype circuit board.
After visiting Siemens end of April, from 15 May 1990 there was the MST-13 timer fragment as (Patchwork with two different sections, the larger part, now as (PT-35/b) with green color, together with the smaller section as (DP-31/a) with the original color, carbonized / black).
Important: The MST-13 timer supplied to Libya were equipped only with green solder masks!
The job with Siemens was carried out in order and under the responsibility of, William Williamson, Scottish Police.
That was an important manipulation for the evidence fraud with the MST-13 timer fragment (PT-35 and PT-35/b) was needed !
The first (original) "circuit board" was found on 20 January 1990, supposedly in a "Slalom" shirt, by expert Allen Feraday at 'RARDE' and plays a crucial fact in find the truth, in the case of Lockerbie, in a new criminal investigation.
Why was the fund of the original fragment 2- times booked back, first to the 15 September 1989 (see the dubius "lads and lassies memo" from expert Feraday) then to the 12 May 1989, held on an questionable, additional inserted page 51, in the report 181?
In SCCRC report also these mysterious machinations are neutralized and remain unsolved ! Questionable and suspicious... To be continued…
by Edwin Bollier, MEBO Ltd Telecommunication Switzerland. Webpage: www.lockerbie.ch
The launch comes just days after The Herald published the first interview with the wife and family of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi, the Libyan serving a life sentence in HMP Greenock for the bombing.
ReplyDeleteIs that still available? Linky please?
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12378549.Megrahi_wife_apos_s_plea__Set_my_husband_free_to_die/
Deleteand
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12377618._apos_This_illness_is_the_hardest_thing_we_have_had_to_bear_apos_/
Ta muchly.
DeleteDid Aisha take the surname "Megrahi" when she was living in Scotland? She's referred to by that name in both articles but that isn't correct. Arab women don't change their surname on marriage. I've no idea what Aisha's actual surname is.
Deletehttp://islamqa.org/hanafi/askmufti/44681
Delete"In summary, it is permissible, though not necessary, for the wife to take on the husband’s surname after marriage."
Ah, that's interesting. My Arab PhD student and his wife gave me the impression it wasn't really done. I did read elsewhere that Aisha didn't use the Megrahi surname, but maybe she did on occasions.
Delete