tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1073021351804532798.post521577344481075996..comments2024-03-15T06:02:30.623+00:00Comments on The Lockerbie Case: The release of Megrahi: the buck stops hereRobert Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03606456028430261555noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1073021351804532798.post-6762003134240238792010-07-27T17:33:39.686+01:002010-07-27T17:33:39.686+01:00Chris Parton. I was at primary school with a Chri...Chris Parton. I was at primary school with a Christopher Parton, but I don't think it's the same person, because my schoolmate was quite unpleasant. I usually find the <i>Herald</i> correspondent of that name very good, but he's just writing letters for the sake of writing this time.Rolfehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16206952819245786811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1073021351804532798.post-55570397193276838492010-07-26T16:51:49.901+01:002010-07-26T16:51:49.901+01:00There is an astonishing letter in the Herald today...There is an astonishing letter in the Herald today from somone who appears to be saying we need to consign the whole Megrahi issue to the bin marked "hindsight" and "spilt milk".Jo Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08536467440869239587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1073021351804532798.post-83760384925528245192010-07-26T14:28:36.644+01:002010-07-26T14:28:36.644+01:00Will re-edit tonight. It would be better to be le...Will re-edit tonight. It would be better to be less specific anyway.<br /><br />They will print quite long things it they're saying something important. The trick is to say something important, and that ain't easy.<br /><br />A short one simply saying, it's clear from the notes of the meetings that Mr. al-Megrahi was being kept in the dark and fed sh*t to induce him to drop the appeal, is also quite tempting.Rolfehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16206952819245786811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1073021351804532798.post-61600978256586885332010-07-26T13:13:18.260+01:002010-07-26T13:13:18.260+01:00Rolfe try and edit it. Be brave. I am the worst ...Rolfe try and edit it. Be brave. I am the worst offender when it comes to saying too much and Editors will often spike contributions due to space restrictions. Or compare your word count with other contributions on their pages to get an idea of what they'll go with. And hold fast to the "Don't use a hundred words when you could use ten." philosophy rather than applying that in reverse as I usually do! : )Jo Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08536467440869239587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1073021351804532798.post-64957570387245779322010-07-25T20:45:26.283+01:002010-07-25T20:45:26.283+01:00Nice letter, Mrs Greenhorn!
I've got one on t...Nice letter, Mrs Greenhorn!<br /><br />I've got one on the stocks myself, but it's a bit lengthy. Might give it a go regardless.Rolfehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16206952819245786811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1073021351804532798.post-29275126766990630162010-07-25T19:42:11.367+01:002010-07-25T19:42:11.367+01:00Rolfe the other thing is if one even suggests on s...Rolfe the other thing is if one even suggests on some sites which are sympathetic to the SNP that McAskill has even put a foot wrong here one will be publicly castigated in all sorts of ways. I fear for ordinary SNP supporters sometimes. Blind loyalty isn't always a good thing. Questions should be allowed. Those who ask questions are not necessarily the enemy.Jo Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08536467440869239587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1073021351804532798.post-2956136577349005752010-07-25T19:38:36.803+01:002010-07-25T19:38:36.803+01:00Rolfe, I can try. Spent last weekend writing lett...Rolfe, I can try. Spent last weekend writing letters which the Herald kept bouncing, haha. Made it on Wednesday tho ; )Jo Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08536467440869239587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1073021351804532798.post-89460822488671022692010-07-25T15:48:00.552+01:002010-07-25T15:48:00.552+01:00Excellent post, Jo You wouldn't like to re-ca...Excellent post, Jo You wouldn't like to re-cast that as a letter to an editor, would you?Rolfehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16206952819245786811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1073021351804532798.post-76558550815882754272010-07-25T13:02:36.908+01:002010-07-25T13:02:36.908+01:00On the above piece,
1. Salmond and McAskill poss...On the above piece, <br /><br />1. Salmond and McAskill possibly couldn't say publicly the original verdict was possibly unsafe. Fine. They could however have pointed to evidence, from the SCCRC, that the second appeal was granted on those precise grounds and pointed to the strong doubts about the original conviction. They certainly did not have to say, both of them at different times, that Megrahi was guilty and that the Scottish Justice System is just fine thanks very much. <br /><br />And in saying both of these things they don't just clash with the "Lockerbie buffs" they clash with many ordinary folk out here who have watched events re Lockerbie since the trial with growing dismay and anger. Many of those people are actually supporters of the Party Salmond heads. <br /><br />2. Cameron did not agree to an investigation into Lockerbie as I understand it, nor have the US authorities requested this. They are interested only in the release aspect. If Cameron had agreed to a full investigation we would be preparing for this right now: and many of us who frequent this site would be very happy. Cameron is Prime Minister of the UK and he could order a full investigation in a single sentence. He has not done so. I think therefore that the writer of the above article has misunderstood what Cameron said and what the US authorities want. <br /><br />The people in the best position to demand that inquiry are Mr Salmond and Mr McAskill. I'm not interested in what they privately think about Megrahi's guilt. This isn't a private matter. This is about something massive that happened in this country and getting to the truth about it. The issue is in the public domain and has been for years. The private thoughts of politicians achieve nothing: only their public actions and statements move us forward. And both declare Megrahi guilty as charged. That is not acceptable if they privately think otherwise for it suggests there is more to it. It also means they are not being honest and there is more than enough dishonesty over Lockerbie already. The SNP government had no part in the original trial and no part in covering up the truth afterwards. It has nothing to lose then by going all out to get the truth, finally. Indeed it has a great deal to gain for ultimately its political opponents will be exposed as dishonest men, and women. <br /><br />Those who speak about "justice" with phoney passion as some of them do while at the same time moving hell and high water to ensure truth doesn't play a part in justice insult the dead, their relatives and all of us who truly do believe in justice and who believe, with genuine passion, that if truth isn't at the centre of any justice system then that justice system is not entitled to use the word justice in its title.Jo Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08536467440869239587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1073021351804532798.post-19012328368978188962010-07-25T09:32:20.847+01:002010-07-25T09:32:20.847+01:00US wanted Lockerbie bomber released
EMBASSY SENT L...US wanted Lockerbie bomber released<br />EMBASSY SENT LETTER TO SALMOND<br />THE US government secretly told Scottish ministers they wanted the Lockerbie bomber freed.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/scottish/scottish_news/887960/American-embassy-sent-al-Megrahi-letter-to-Alex-Salmond.html" rel="nofollow">newsoftheworld.co.uk</a><br />- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<br /><br />NEW QUESTIONS OVER LOCKERBIE BOMBER<br /><br />The letter was sent to Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond by Richard LeBaron, deputy head of the US Embassy in London<br /><br />It states: "If Scottish authorities come to the conclusion that Megrahi must be released from custody, the US position is that conditional release on compassionate grounds would be a far preferable alternative to prisoner transfer."<br /><br />And it questions the US President’s claim last week that Americans were "surprised, disappointed and angry" at the bomber’s release from jail.<br /><br />The Americans wanted the Lockerbie bomber to remain in Scotland if he was freed.<br /><br />But the letter shows they were involved in discussions before he was freed.<br /><br /><a href="http://blogs.notw.co.uk/politics/2010/07/new-questions-over-lockerbie-bomber.html" rel="nofollow">blogs.notw.co.uk</a>G.C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/09202199334388501459noreply@blogger.com