I've been intrigued by the press commentary and the fringe political commentary over the future of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi. There are those who have demanded that he be released into the care of his native nation to serve out his remaining sentence - on compassionate grounds if nothing else. Libya has made an application to repatriate Mr Megrahi under the prisoner transfer agreement made in November last year, and some have sought self-publicity by calling for that request to be granted.
They're missing a point, really, there won't be any transfer unless Megrahi agrees. At present he is pursuing an appeal in an attempt to clear his name - there won't be a prisoner transfer until the legal proceedings are done with. Compassionate transfer? Same thing. As things stand, Mr Megrahi is a prisoner convicted of 270 counts of murder in a Scottish court and he has the right to appeal. Perhaps he should be offered the dignity of being allowed to get on with his appeal rather than being the subject of ill-informed speculation?
3 comments:
Well said Calum and I'm sure you can verify his close family live in or around Glasgow and visit him very regularly.
Aisha al Megrahi and her children returned to Triploi early in 2005 after the UK Government intervened to prevent the children being educated while staying in Scotland. His family does not visit often. There's some detail in this story - http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20050327/ai_n13482460/
There has been a scent of vitriol in the air throughout the term of Mr Megrahi's imprisonment and a horrible taint of interference in the case. It could be argued that this constitutes an additional and unwelcome punishment - surely the deporivation of liberty is the punishment we should seek through imprisonment? He should be allowed to get on with his appeal without the posturing of others getting in the way, I think.
You don't mention the 'trap' set by Tony n Gordy!!
They set up the process with Lybia for a request to be made, then pass the buck to Alec in Edinburgh.
So when the dying man, convicted on the word of a man who can remember everyone he sold baby clothes to, is sent home, the SNP take the flak.
And who sets Gordy just has his eye on the big issues!!
Mind you, the held the NI 'peace' talks in St Andrews the same weekend as the SNP conference to deflect media attention from that, so ira not exactly as if they don't have 'form' in that department!
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