[Justice for Megrahi’s petition (PE1370) calling for an independent inquiry into the conviction of Abdelbaset Megrahi features on the agenda for the Scottish Parliament Justice Committee meeting to be held on Tuesday, 2 May 2017 at 10.00 in Holyrood Committee Room 2. JfM’s written submission to the committee reads as follows:]
INTRODUCTION
As you are aware the above petition has been kept open by the Justice Committee since 8 November 2011 to allow various developments related to the Lockerbie case to be monitored by the committee.
A full record of the relevant correspondence with the Justice Committee is reproduced on the Scottish Parliament website.
In this submission JfM wishes to bring the committee’s attention to developments since the petition was last considered on 17th January 2017.
Clarification: In our submission to the 17th January meeting of the Justice Committee, JfM requested that the Committee continue its review of our petition until the Operation Sandwood, ‘police report has been fully considered by Crown Office and its conclusions have been announced.’
In their contributions at this meeting, MSP’s Stewart Stevenson and Mary Fee stated that they agreed with our request for, ‘the petition to remain open until the conclusions of Operation Sandwood have been announced.’
In a letter informing us that the petition would be heard again by the committee on 2nd May, the Deputy Clerk to the committee informed us that it had been, ‘agreed to keep the petition open pending the completion of Operation Sandwood.’
It would be helpful to clarify that as requested in our last submission, and agreed by your committee, the petition will remain open until Crown Office consideration of the police report is complete and any related decisions are made.
Crown Office: As committee members will be aware, a series of Operation Sandwood related parliamentary questions to the Lord Advocate by MSP Alex Neil have been responded to and published.
Mr Neil thereafter wrote to the Lord Advocate and received a response on 20th April. Copies of Mr Neil’s questions and the Lord Advocates answers, his letter to the Lord Advocate and the LA’s response, are attached for member’s information.
Operation Sandwood: JfM continues to hold regular meetings with the Operation Sandwood police team providing mutual updates on the enquiry process and related matters, and continues to have faith in the integrity and completeness of the police enquiry.
The submission of the police report to Crown Office has been delayed and our latest understanding is that it should be submitted in the next few months.
Megrahi Family Appeal: JfM has noted the recent publicity suggesting that the family of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi will launch a bid to appeal against his conviction in the next few weeks.
If these reports are accurate then this is a significant development for those pursuing the truth about Lockerbie.
CONCLUSION
JfM appreciates the Justice Committee’s continuing oversight of the Operation Sandwood enquiry and report.
Given the central importance of the findings of Operation Sandwood to any future prosecutions, enquiries or appeals, JfM believes it is critical, and very much in the public interest, that the committee continues to monitor these findings until Crown Office has fully considered them and announced its conclusions.
We would respectfully urge the Committee to allow Petition PE1370 to remain on the table.
INTRODUCTION
As you are aware the above petition has been kept open by the Justice Committee since 8 November 2011 to allow various developments related to the Lockerbie case to be monitored by the committee.
A full record of the relevant correspondence with the Justice Committee is reproduced on the Scottish Parliament website.
In this submission JfM wishes to bring the committee’s attention to developments since the petition was last considered on 17th January 2017.
Clarification: In our submission to the 17th January meeting of the Justice Committee, JfM requested that the Committee continue its review of our petition until the Operation Sandwood, ‘police report has been fully considered by Crown Office and its conclusions have been announced.’
In their contributions at this meeting, MSP’s Stewart Stevenson and Mary Fee stated that they agreed with our request for, ‘the petition to remain open until the conclusions of Operation Sandwood have been announced.’
In a letter informing us that the petition would be heard again by the committee on 2nd May, the Deputy Clerk to the committee informed us that it had been, ‘agreed to keep the petition open pending the completion of Operation Sandwood.’
It would be helpful to clarify that as requested in our last submission, and agreed by your committee, the petition will remain open until Crown Office consideration of the police report is complete and any related decisions are made.
Crown Office: As committee members will be aware, a series of Operation Sandwood related parliamentary questions to the Lord Advocate by MSP Alex Neil have been responded to and published.
Mr Neil thereafter wrote to the Lord Advocate and received a response on 20th April. Copies of Mr Neil’s questions and the Lord Advocates answers, his letter to the Lord Advocate and the LA’s response, are attached for member’s information.
Operation Sandwood: JfM continues to hold regular meetings with the Operation Sandwood police team providing mutual updates on the enquiry process and related matters, and continues to have faith in the integrity and completeness of the police enquiry.
The submission of the police report to Crown Office has been delayed and our latest understanding is that it should be submitted in the next few months.
Megrahi Family Appeal: JfM has noted the recent publicity suggesting that the family of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi will launch a bid to appeal against his conviction in the next few weeks.
If these reports are accurate then this is a significant development for those pursuing the truth about Lockerbie.
CONCLUSION
JfM appreciates the Justice Committee’s continuing oversight of the Operation Sandwood enquiry and report.
Given the central importance of the findings of Operation Sandwood to any future prosecutions, enquiries or appeals, JfM believes it is critical, and very much in the public interest, that the committee continues to monitor these findings until Crown Office has fully considered them and announced its conclusions.
We would respectfully urge the Committee to allow Petition PE1370 to remain on the table.
DOSSIER LOCKERBIE, 2017:
ReplyDeleteWhat can we expect from the Megrahi petition (PE1370)on agenda 2 May meeting of Justice Commitee ? Further delay.......... ?
GPMS Classification: NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED
On 23 April 2017 >> Detective Superintendent Stuart Johnstone, gave the following reply over the state on the criminal investigation "Operation Sandwood" to MEBO LTD:,
Good morning Mr Bollier,
Thank you for your e-mail … I managed to pick up on the media reporting in the UK over the weekend, but I appreciate you signposting me to the Sunday Mail article.
In terms of the final report, as it stands I cannot commit to providing a definitive completion date. The enquiry is still ongoing and, whilst in the final stages, it remains a work in progress.
by Edwin Bollier, MEBO LTD Telecommunication Switzerland. Webpage: www.lockerbie.ch