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Lockerbie bomber 'to be released' - BBC & SKY reports

by mudricky | August 12, 2009 at 11:04 pm

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The BBC & SKY news this morning has reported that the Lockerbie bomber, Ali al-Megrahi will be released next week on compassionate grounds.

Al-Megrahi has terminal prostate cancer and has been serving life in a Scottish prison for the murder of 270 people when Pan Am flight 103 exploded in 1988 in the sky above Dunblane.

Scottish ministers described the development as "complete speculation".

Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said last week he would miss the 90-day deadline if Al-Megrahi was to be let out.

A spokesman for Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said: "No decision has been taken, either on the application for compassionate release or the application under the prisoner transfer agreement and so it is entirely speculation."

A Scottish Government spokesman added that a decision was expected from Mr MacAskill this month.Mr MacAskill said last week he would miss the 90-day deadline, which expired on 3 August, because he was waiting for more information.

The man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing will be released on compassionate grounds due to his terminal cancer, Sky News has learned.
The decision on the release of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi rests with Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill.

He visited Megrahi in Greenock jail last week to discuss his application for release and has also met the families of Lockerbie victims.

The Scottish Government says a final decision has not yet been made.But Sky sources say Mr MacAskill will make an announcement next week to grant freedom on compassionate grounds to the 57-year-old Libyan, who has advanced prostate cancer.

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J2B (not verified)

at 23:59 on August 12th, 2009

I lost a dear friend from New York, she was only about 36-years old when Al-Megrahi killed her without mercy or compassion. Reports shown that many survived the explosion, strapped into their seats being hurled at hundreds of miles per hour to their death and doom when they smashed into the ground.

I remember the horror of it all and I will for the rest of my life! It destroyed my friend's family too.

Why should he be given compassion just because he's dying when he gave compassion to no one?

He's a serial murderer, of 270 people, men, women, children and little babies too. Shall we let Charles Manson out of prison too, I think he only killed four or was it five?