This is the heading over an item posted today on the website of the Libyan (Gaddafi regime-supporting) Mathaba news agency. It highlights John Pilger's article Megrahi was framed and a YouTube video featuring, amongst other things, an interview with me. The Mathaba item begins with the following (which even I regard as just a bit over the top):
"If anyone, including those lazy `journalists` think that Libya has anything at all to do with the Lockerbie bombing and terrorism, you had better view this. Only after you have viewed this, can you have any credibility to even mention the word `Lockerbie'."
Saturday, 4 June 2011
Puppeteering from London, Washington, Tripoli and Edinburgh over Pan Am 103
The above is a tweet (@TheFirmOnline) by Steven Raeburn, editor of Scottish lawyers' magazine The Firm, following his appearance this morning on BBC Radio Scotland's Newsweek programme. The programme can be accessed here, through the magazine's website.
No sell-by date on justice, promises Lord Advocate
This is the headline over a report in today's edition of The Herald. For a brief instant, it crossed my mind that the promise might have some relevance to the Lockerbie case, the miscarriage of justice suffered by Abdelbaset Megrahi and the ongoing quest for truth and justice pursued by relatives of Lockerbie victims, such as Jim Swire, John Mosey, Matt Berkley and Marina Larracoechea. But no. The Lord Advocate's pledge is confined to "cold cases" where there has been no conviction.
In his press statement Frank Mulholland QC says:
“Justice will pursue down the years those who have so far evaded detection for their crimes. The passage of time should be no protection. No-one should escape the consequences of their criminality and the grief this brings to victims and their families.”
Would that that were true in the Lockerbie case.
In his press statement Frank Mulholland QC says:
“Justice will pursue down the years those who have so far evaded detection for their crimes. The passage of time should be no protection. No-one should escape the consequences of their criminality and the grief this brings to victims and their families.”
Would that that were true in the Lockerbie case.
Friday, 3 June 2011
Lockerbie – Unfinished Business in Wales
[The following is a report just published on the Welsh Daily Post newspaper website:]
The man jailed for the Lockerbie air disaster, which claimed 270 lives, should never have been convicted, believes Jim Swire, father of one of the victims. Writer and actor David Benson is now helping Jim in his campaign for justice.
He’s turned Jim’s memoirs into an award winning play, Lockerbie: Unfinished Business, which is coming to Clwyd Theatr Cymru on Wednesday. He hopes the play will help alter public perception of the atrocity and the man convicted of the bomb attack, Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrhi.
Jim’s daughter Flora died in the plane crash, on the eve of her 24th birthday, in 1988. Jim strongly believes al-Megrhi was framed and the real perpetrator is still at large, but is not being chased for political reasons.
David was set the "mind-boggling challenge" of condensing Jim’s extensive manuscript into a 65-minute play.
He said: "It is a personal, emotional and informative account, which tells not only the story of what happened on the day, but also provides audiences with all the information they need to decide whether or not al-Megrahi is guilty."
David described his inspiration for wanting to do the play.
"I came across Jim’s website in late 2009, just after the international outcry over the release of al-Megrahi. I was outraged by the outcry because I knew enough at that point to know that al-Megrahi wasn’t guilty and I felt the outcry should have been about the fact he was convicted, not released."
David explained how the play has become part of the campaign and that he hopes he has taken some of the burden from Jim’s shoulders.
They hope the play will help alter public opinion about the conviction of al-Megrahi.
David was unsure of how audiences would react to the play, but says that he has received an amazing response.
He said: "Audiences have been shocked by the evidence the conviction was based on, some of it really is laughable. They feel moved and angry by the end and I hope this will motivate them to look further into it and realise they have the power to make a direct impact in the campaign.
"I hope people will approach their MPs and ask them to raise the issue.
"People don’t realise the power they hold – the government is terrified of the public. I hope the play can help change the outcome."
The play won an Edinburgh Fringe First award and was also nominated for an Amnesty International award, which David described as an "extreme honour" and he feels this has helped to "keep the story alive".
Lockerbie: Unfinished Business, Clwyd Theatr Cymru, June 8, Tickets: 08453303565
The man jailed for the Lockerbie air disaster, which claimed 270 lives, should never have been convicted, believes Jim Swire, father of one of the victims. Writer and actor David Benson is now helping Jim in his campaign for justice.
He’s turned Jim’s memoirs into an award winning play, Lockerbie: Unfinished Business, which is coming to Clwyd Theatr Cymru on Wednesday. He hopes the play will help alter public perception of the atrocity and the man convicted of the bomb attack, Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrhi.
Jim’s daughter Flora died in the plane crash, on the eve of her 24th birthday, in 1988. Jim strongly believes al-Megrhi was framed and the real perpetrator is still at large, but is not being chased for political reasons.
David was set the "mind-boggling challenge" of condensing Jim’s extensive manuscript into a 65-minute play.
He said: "It is a personal, emotional and informative account, which tells not only the story of what happened on the day, but also provides audiences with all the information they need to decide whether or not al-Megrahi is guilty."
David described his inspiration for wanting to do the play.
"I came across Jim’s website in late 2009, just after the international outcry over the release of al-Megrahi. I was outraged by the outcry because I knew enough at that point to know that al-Megrahi wasn’t guilty and I felt the outcry should have been about the fact he was convicted, not released."
David explained how the play has become part of the campaign and that he hopes he has taken some of the burden from Jim’s shoulders.
They hope the play will help alter public opinion about the conviction of al-Megrahi.
David was unsure of how audiences would react to the play, but says that he has received an amazing response.
He said: "Audiences have been shocked by the evidence the conviction was based on, some of it really is laughable. They feel moved and angry by the end and I hope this will motivate them to look further into it and realise they have the power to make a direct impact in the campaign.
"I hope people will approach their MPs and ask them to raise the issue.
"People don’t realise the power they hold – the government is terrified of the public. I hope the play can help change the outcome."
The play won an Edinburgh Fringe First award and was also nominated for an Amnesty International award, which David described as an "extreme honour" and he feels this has helped to "keep the story alive".
Lockerbie: Unfinished Business, Clwyd Theatr Cymru, June 8, Tickets: 08453303565
Thursday, 2 June 2011
The finest traditions of Scots law...
[What follows is the text of a letter from John W Elliott published in today's edition of The Herald:]
Lords Hope and Rodger are two of our most distinguished Scottish judges. They have occupied the offices of Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General before going on to safeguard the interests of our Scottish legal system first as Lords of Appeal in Ordinary in the House of Lords and now as Justices of the UK Supreme Court.
Kenny MacAskill, our Cabinet Secretary for Justice, is a solicitor by profession but he has reverted to type by barracking the UK Supreme Court.
This is rather sad. By his boorish interventions in this matter – comments about English judges and the Edinburgh Festival and accusations that the UK Supreme Court is some sort of ambulance chasing institution – Mr MacAskill has lost the dignity and stature he displayed when he released Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds according to the finest traditions of Scots law.
[What principally concerns me about the present brouhaha over the role of the UK Supreme Court is the failure to address the fundamental question about the performance of the Scottish criminal justice system in relation to human rights issues. Few, if any, Scots lawyers would say that the Supreme Court was wrong in its interpretation and application to Scottish practice of the European Convention on Human Rights in the Cadder and Fraser cases. There can be little, if any, doubt that the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg would have reached the same conclusions. Our first concern should be about rectifying the deficiencies in the Scottish criminal justice system, not shooting whatever messenger has the temerity to point them out. But while the posts of Lord Advocate and Solicitor General are both occupied by legal civil servants, virtually the whole of whose working life has been spent in the Crown Office, reform -- or even recognition that it is called for -- is in the highest degree unlikely.]
Lords Hope and Rodger are two of our most distinguished Scottish judges. They have occupied the offices of Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General before going on to safeguard the interests of our Scottish legal system first as Lords of Appeal in Ordinary in the House of Lords and now as Justices of the UK Supreme Court.
Kenny MacAskill, our Cabinet Secretary for Justice, is a solicitor by profession but he has reverted to type by barracking the UK Supreme Court.
This is rather sad. By his boorish interventions in this matter – comments about English judges and the Edinburgh Festival and accusations that the UK Supreme Court is some sort of ambulance chasing institution – Mr MacAskill has lost the dignity and stature he displayed when he released Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds according to the finest traditions of Scots law.
[What principally concerns me about the present brouhaha over the role of the UK Supreme Court is the failure to address the fundamental question about the performance of the Scottish criminal justice system in relation to human rights issues. Few, if any, Scots lawyers would say that the Supreme Court was wrong in its interpretation and application to Scottish practice of the European Convention on Human Rights in the Cadder and Fraser cases. There can be little, if any, doubt that the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg would have reached the same conclusions. Our first concern should be about rectifying the deficiencies in the Scottish criminal justice system, not shooting whatever messenger has the temerity to point them out. But while the posts of Lord Advocate and Solicitor General are both occupied by legal civil servants, virtually the whole of whose working life has been spent in the Crown Office, reform -- or even recognition that it is called for -- is in the highest degree unlikely.]
By the way ...
[The following are excerpts from a report published today on the website of the Toledo Blade newspaper:]
Lockerbie case comes to Toledo in watch lawsuit
A watch recovered from the Lockerbie plane bombing is at the center of a legal battle set to play out in Lucas County Common Pleas Court this summer.
Cherry Peirce, the widow of Perrysburg architect Peter Peirce, is suing two employees of Estate Jewelry Buyers in Sylvania, alleging that they bought and sold more than $150,000 worth of jewelry that was stolen in 2008 from her Catawba Island home in Ottawa County. One of the pieces was a wristwatch worn by Mr Peirce, who was one of 270 killed when Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, in December, 1988.
Mrs Peirce's complaint, filed in January, seeks compensatory and punitive damages of at least $600,000 (...)
Mr Kerger [attorney for the plaintiff] said two window washers who had entry to Mrs Peirce's home stole several pieces of jewelry that were hidden in the back of a dresser drawer. The items included her wedding rings, a 3.5-karat diamond ring, an emerald ring given to her by her late husband, and a watch that was retrieved from the plane wreckage after Mr Peirce died in the Lockerbie crash. (...)
Mrs Peirce's jewelry has not been recovered. Aside from the monetary value of her jewelry, Mr Kerger said the theft of Mr Peirce's watch -- the only item of his that was recovered from the Lockerbie crash -- represents an emotional loss for Mrs. Peirce that can't be recovered in court.
"It's one of those items that is truly irreplaceable," he said.
Lockerbie case comes to Toledo in watch lawsuit
A watch recovered from the Lockerbie plane bombing is at the center of a legal battle set to play out in Lucas County Common Pleas Court this summer.
Cherry Peirce, the widow of Perrysburg architect Peter Peirce, is suing two employees of Estate Jewelry Buyers in Sylvania, alleging that they bought and sold more than $150,000 worth of jewelry that was stolen in 2008 from her Catawba Island home in Ottawa County. One of the pieces was a wristwatch worn by Mr Peirce, who was one of 270 killed when Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, in December, 1988.
Mrs Peirce's complaint, filed in January, seeks compensatory and punitive damages of at least $600,000 (...)
Mr Kerger [attorney for the plaintiff] said two window washers who had entry to Mrs Peirce's home stole several pieces of jewelry that were hidden in the back of a dresser drawer. The items included her wedding rings, a 3.5-karat diamond ring, an emerald ring given to her by her late husband, and a watch that was retrieved from the plane wreckage after Mr Peirce died in the Lockerbie crash. (...)
Mrs Peirce's jewelry has not been recovered. Aside from the monetary value of her jewelry, Mr Kerger said the theft of Mr Peirce's watch -- the only item of his that was recovered from the Lockerbie crash -- represents an emotional loss for Mrs. Peirce that can't be recovered in court.
"It's one of those items that is truly irreplaceable," he said.
Wednesday, 1 June 2011
Scottish Parliament committee memberships
Public Petitions Committee
Membership: Neil Bibby, Richard Lyle, Nanette Milne, David Stewart (convener), Bill Walker, Sandra White, John Wilson
Justice Committee
Membership: Roderick Campbell, John Finnie, Christine Grahame (convener), Colin Keir, James Kelly, John Lamont, Alison McInnes, Graeme Pearson, Humza Yousaf
[The full list of all Scottish Parliament committee memberships can be seen here. The biographies of MSPs can be accessed here.]
Membership: Neil Bibby, Richard Lyle, Nanette Milne, David Stewart (convener), Bill Walker, Sandra White, John Wilson
Justice Committee
Membership: Roderick Campbell, John Finnie, Christine Grahame (convener), Colin Keir, James Kelly, John Lamont, Alison McInnes, Graeme Pearson, Humza Yousaf
[The full list of all Scottish Parliament committee memberships can be seen here. The biographies of MSPs can be accessed here.]
Christine Grahame MSP to chair Justice Committee
[The following is an excerpt from a report just published on The Scotsman website:]
Midlothian South SNP MSP Christine Grahame, a lawyer who has campaigned for an independent inquiry into the Lockerbie bombing, is to be convener of the justice committee after chairing the health and sport committee in the last parliament.
Midlothian South SNP MSP Christine Grahame, a lawyer who has campaigned for an independent inquiry into the Lockerbie bombing, is to be convener of the justice committee after chairing the health and sport committee in the last parliament.
A straw in the wind?
Col Gaddafi has enforced his rule in recent years by packing the security services with members of his own small tribe, the Gadadfa, and an allied tribe, the Megarha, to which the alleged Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Megrahi belongs.
[The above is a paragraph from a report published today on the website of The Telegraph, a resolutely Tory newspaper. The emphasis is mine.]
[The above is a paragraph from a report published today on the website of The Telegraph, a resolutely Tory newspaper. The emphasis is mine.]
Public Petitions Committee convener
A report in today's edition of The Scotsman predicts that the convener of the Scottish Parliament's Public Petitions Committee will be Highlands and Islands Labour MSP David Stewart. The remainder of the membership of the committee will be chosen today, once the Parliament has agreed to motion S4M-00165:
"Name of Committee: Public Petitions
"Remit: Set out in Rule 6.10
"Number of members: 7
"Convenership: The Convener will be a member of the Scottish Labour Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party."
The deputy convener is to be the SNP MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Sandra White.
Among the business bequeathed to the new Public Petitions Committee is the Justice for Megrahi petition, PE 1370.
"Name of Committee: Public Petitions
"Remit: Set out in Rule 6.10
"Number of members: 7
"Convenership: The Convener will be a member of the Scottish Labour Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party."
The deputy convener is to be the SNP MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Sandra White.
Among the business bequeathed to the new Public Petitions Committee is the Justice for Megrahi petition, PE 1370.
Megrahi's solicitor on threat to UK Supreme Court
[The following are excerpts from a report in today's edition of The Herald:]
Kenny MacAskill wants to cancel Scottish funding for the UK Supreme Court.
The Justice Secretary has ordered civil servants to investigate whether the Scottish Government can pull the financial plug on Britain’s most senior justices over what he sees as the threat they pose to centuries-old Scots Law.
Scotland currently contributes just under £500,000 a year to the London-based court but it is far from clear if the Scottish Government could stop its cheque.
The unprecedented threat to do so underlines just how angry Mr MacAskill is over two humiliating defeats at the UK Supreme Court, including last week’s decision to overturn the conviction of Nat Fraser for murdering his wife Arlene. (...)
Some lawyers last night warned that Mr MacAskill, an experienced defence solicitor, was risking a major constitutional crisis just by giving the impression of trying to undermine the finances of the UK Supreme Court.
Professor Tony Kelly, who acted for human rights group Justice in backing the Cadder appeal, said: “This is a politician interfering with the judicial branch of government. That is simply constitutionally impermissible. [RB: Tony Kelly is a visiting professor at the University of Strathclyde.]
“It’s an attack on judicial independence which we have never seen the like of in the UK. We have a politician issuing threats against a court because he does not like its decisions.”
Mr Kelly added: “I don’t see any evidence that the Supreme Court has committed any grievous error. If there were English judges importing English doctrines into Scots Law, I am sure there would be a raft of evidence for Nationalist politicians. But there isn’t.”
Solicitor-advocate John Scott said he did not believe withdrawing funding from the Supreme Court would have any impact on the court’s jurisdiction over Scottish matters.
He said: “This is just political tub-thumping. It is a bit like somebody withholding part of their taxes because they don’t want to pay for nuclear weapons. It doesn’t work like that.”
Kenny MacAskill wants to cancel Scottish funding for the UK Supreme Court.
The Justice Secretary has ordered civil servants to investigate whether the Scottish Government can pull the financial plug on Britain’s most senior justices over what he sees as the threat they pose to centuries-old Scots Law.
Scotland currently contributes just under £500,000 a year to the London-based court but it is far from clear if the Scottish Government could stop its cheque.
The unprecedented threat to do so underlines just how angry Mr MacAskill is over two humiliating defeats at the UK Supreme Court, including last week’s decision to overturn the conviction of Nat Fraser for murdering his wife Arlene. (...)
Some lawyers last night warned that Mr MacAskill, an experienced defence solicitor, was risking a major constitutional crisis just by giving the impression of trying to undermine the finances of the UK Supreme Court.
Professor Tony Kelly, who acted for human rights group Justice in backing the Cadder appeal, said: “This is a politician interfering with the judicial branch of government. That is simply constitutionally impermissible. [RB: Tony Kelly is a visiting professor at the University of Strathclyde.]
“It’s an attack on judicial independence which we have never seen the like of in the UK. We have a politician issuing threats against a court because he does not like its decisions.”
Mr Kelly added: “I don’t see any evidence that the Supreme Court has committed any grievous error. If there were English judges importing English doctrines into Scots Law, I am sure there would be a raft of evidence for Nationalist politicians. But there isn’t.”
Solicitor-advocate John Scott said he did not believe withdrawing funding from the Supreme Court would have any impact on the court’s jurisdiction over Scottish matters.
He said: “This is just political tub-thumping. It is a bit like somebody withholding part of their taxes because they don’t want to pay for nuclear weapons. It doesn’t work like that.”
Tuesday, 31 May 2011
A milestone
In the period of just under three years and eight months since I started recording statistics for this blog, there have been a quarter of a million visits. Currently there are well over 6000 visits a month from over 3000 unique visitors. It is my ambition that an independent inquiry into the conviction of Abdelbaset Megrahi will be launched before we reach the half million mark.
Monday, 30 May 2011
A review of Lockerbie - Unfinished Business at Langholm
[I am grateful to journalist Carol Hogarth for allowing me to post this review of the Langholm performance of David Benson's play:]
Having been in the audience for David Benson's play at the Buccleuch Centre in Langholm last night, and knowing others who saw it at the Theatre Royal in Dumfries last week, I just wanted to let you both know how well it has been received in this area. Last night's audience ... was gripped and visibly moved by what they saw and heard, and the Q&A and discussion after the interval could have gone on all night.
Some fascinating stories and information came from the audience. I know there are many in this area who are reluctant to talk about the disaster now, but clearly there are still some who feel willing and able to.
Even for someone like me who, as a local journalist, has tried to follow the story closely for more than 20 years, seeing and hearing the evidence presented in such a clear and compelling manner was extremely thought provoking. Benson's skill at having balanced the heavy weight history with the truly personal is an incredible achievement.
I wish I'd seen more local politicians and media representatives in the audience - or perhaps they all saw it in Edinburgh last summer, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt!
Having been in the audience for David Benson's play at the Buccleuch Centre in Langholm last night, and knowing others who saw it at the Theatre Royal in Dumfries last week, I just wanted to let you both know how well it has been received in this area. Last night's audience ... was gripped and visibly moved by what they saw and heard, and the Q&A and discussion after the interval could have gone on all night.
Some fascinating stories and information came from the audience. I know there are many in this area who are reluctant to talk about the disaster now, but clearly there are still some who feel willing and able to.
Even for someone like me who, as a local journalist, has tried to follow the story closely for more than 20 years, seeing and hearing the evidence presented in such a clear and compelling manner was extremely thought provoking. Benson's skill at having balanced the heavy weight history with the truly personal is an incredible achievement.
I wish I'd seen more local politicians and media representatives in the audience - or perhaps they all saw it in Edinburgh last summer, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt!
Message from "Moussa"
From: koumossa@gmail.com
Dear Friend,
I am Moussa Koussa former Libyan foreign minister.l have a transaction of $44,500,000m to bring to your attention if only you would be interested, kindly respond to this email: koumossa@gmail.com for more details. $44.5m.
Thank.
Moussa Koussa.
[The above is the text of an e-mail that I have just received. It distresses me that Moussa Koussa, whom I have met six or seven times, does not appear to remember my name.]
Dear Friend,
I am Moussa Koussa former Libyan foreign minister.l have a transaction of $44,500,000m to bring to your attention if only you would be interested, kindly respond to this email: koumossa@gmail.com for more details. $44.5m.
Thank.
Moussa Koussa.
[The above is the text of an e-mail that I have just received. It distresses me that Moussa Koussa, whom I have met six or seven times, does not appear to remember my name.]
Camp Zeist a "pantomime"
[What follows is a paragraph from an editorial in yesterday's edition of Scotland on Sunday:]
Why has Gaddafi suddenly become Britain's public enemy number one? Historically, he clearly merited that title by arming the IRA. Gaddafi's Semtex was used in the Harrods bombing in 1983, the Enniskillen bomb in 1987 and the Omagh outrage as recently as 1998; those attacks killed 46 people. Nearer home, the Lockerbie bombing murdered 270 innocent travellers, crew and Scottish residents. Yet at no point did Britain try to overthrow or kill Gaddafi. Appeasement was the order of the day, as when Scottish justice was put through the pantomime of setting up an offshore court at Camp Zeist in the Netherlands, at a cost to taxpayers of £60m, to try Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi, later released to Tripoli in a similar climate of conciliation.
[There's really nothing like journalistic oversimplification, is there? It's clearly not just the Scottish criminal justice system that's in need of rigorous overhaul.]
Why has Gaddafi suddenly become Britain's public enemy number one? Historically, he clearly merited that title by arming the IRA. Gaddafi's Semtex was used in the Harrods bombing in 1983, the Enniskillen bomb in 1987 and the Omagh outrage as recently as 1998; those attacks killed 46 people. Nearer home, the Lockerbie bombing murdered 270 innocent travellers, crew and Scottish residents. Yet at no point did Britain try to overthrow or kill Gaddafi. Appeasement was the order of the day, as when Scottish justice was put through the pantomime of setting up an offshore court at Camp Zeist in the Netherlands, at a cost to taxpayers of £60m, to try Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi, later released to Tripoli in a similar climate of conciliation.
[There's really nothing like journalistic oversimplification, is there? It's clearly not just the Scottish criminal justice system that's in need of rigorous overhaul.]
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