Compassionate Release For Lockerbie Bomber

[MrsSpringsteen]

Plenty of Christians don't support the death penalty, under any and all circumstances. I don't think he should have been executed because I don't support it at all. But I also think the least that could be done now for these families is to not have Gadhafi staying at that estate. They've suffered enough and that's hardly too much to ask for.

[popshopper]

In the Lockerbie case, the following from 2001 offers a pretty good synopsis of the problems with the original case and why the UK government wished the appeal to be stopped. The primary reason behind the release. Megrahi was forced to give up his appeal in order to be released, and was initially refused trial by jury, but instead had a trial in front of hand-picked judges. Having read the case and the available court transcripts, it's very unlikely that jury would have found him guilty. This is also one of the main reasons that the UK based families of the victims have long been campaigning for a public inquiry.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2001/ju...bie.features11

The hope of the UK government was that this would all go away with the minimum of fuss upon his release, the events on his arrival in Libya have put pay to that.

[toscano]

Originally Posted by popshopper

In the Lockerbie case, the following from 2001 offers a pretty good synopsis of the problems with the original case and why the UK government wished the appeal to be stopped. The primary reason behind the release. Megrahi was forced to give up his appeal in order to be released, and was initially refused trial by jury, but instead had a trial in front of hand-picked judges. Having read the case and the available court transcripts, it's very unlikely that jury would have found him guilty. This is also one of the main reasons that the UK based families of the victims have long been campaigning for a public inquiry.

The Lockerbie trial: a top-level cover-up? | UK news | The Guardian

The hope of the UK government was that this would all go away with the minimum of fuss upon his release, the events on his arrival in Libya have put pay to that.

Well CLEARLY there's no ambiguity and no chance AT ALL that he's 100% guilty, hang him high.......

The Death Penalty really IS the way to go, wrongful convictions just don't happen.

[deep]

now this

Iraqi who threw shoes at Bush to be released early

By KIM GAMEL, Associated Press Writer Kim Gamel, Associated Press Writer Sat Aug 29, 12:09 pm ET

BAGHDAD – An Iraqi journalist imprisoned for hurling his shoes at former President George W. Bush will be released next month after his sentence was reduced for good behavior, his lawyer said Saturday.

Muntadhar al-Zeidi's act of protest during Bush's last visit to Iraq as president turned the 30-year-old reporter into a folk hero across the Arab world, as his case became a rallying point for critics who resented the 2003 U.S. invasion and occupation.

"Al-Zeidi's shoes were a suitable farewell for Bush's deeds in Iraq," Sunni lawmaker Dhafir al-Ani said in welcoming the early release. "Al-Zeidi's act expressed the real will and feelings of the Iraqi people. His anger against Bush was the result of the suffering of his countrymen."

The journalist has been in custody since the Dec. 14 outburst, which occurred as Bush was holding a news conference with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Al-Maliki, who was standing next to Bush at the time, was said to have been deeply offended by the act.

Al-Zeidi was initially sentenced to three years in prison after pleading not guilty to assaulting a foreign leader. The court reduced it to one year because the journalist had no prior criminal history.

Defense attorney Karim al-Shujairi said al-Zeidi will now be released on Sept. 14, three months early.

"We have been informed officially about the court decision," al-Shujairi told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "His release will be a victory for the free and honorable Iraqi media."

Judicial spokesman Abdul-Sattar Bayrkdar said he had no immediate information about the release because it was a weekend.

Followers of anti-U.S. cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who were among the leaders of many of the demonstrations demanding al-Zeidi's release, welcomed the decision to free him early.

"We believe that al-Zeidi did not commit any crime but only expressed the will of the Iraqi people in rejecting the U.S. occupation," Sadrist lawmaker Falah Shanshal said. "Al-Zeidi's image will always be a heroic one."

[coolian2]

why wasn't he put to death? what a waste on society.

[killiescot]

Originally Posted by coolian2

why wasn't he put to death? what a waste on society.

Obviously no thought has been given to the feelings of George Bush's family.

[the iron horse]

Lockerbie bomber 'set free for oil' - Times Online

[financeguy]

Originally Posted by RedRocksU2

No mercy. He should have been executed a long time ago..

The Birmingham Six and Guildford Four also, yes?

Originally Posted by RedRocksU2

Can you imagine being a family member of the kids that died in that plane? Just thing about that.

Appeals to sentimentality are a poor basis for discussion.

[Zoomerang96]

i drove through lockerbie last week. true story.

[Irvine511]

Originally Posted by the iron horse

Lockerbie bomber 'set free for oil' - Times Online

well, we invade countries for oil. what's the big deal?

[HyperU2]

I think we've invaded far more countries that don't have oil.

This is how you do it.

Ill Manson follower Susan Atkins denied parole - Yahoo! News

[Kieran McConville]

On the whole, gang, this sort of stuff betrays a worrying lack of pragmatism. One can worry about the 'wrong messages' until the cows come home. The fact remains that, innocent or guilty as charged, the man concerned will apparently die soon. In prison or in his country of origin. Nobody now dead will be brought back to life.

That is my first and last word on the subject.

[Irvine511]

Originally Posted by HyperU2

I think we've invaded far more countries that don't have oil.

yes, i'm sure you do think that.

[toscano]

40 Civilians killed today in Afghanistan by a US airstrike, what about their families ? I'm sure we're not in a hurry to hand over those responsible.

[Irvine511]

Originally Posted by toscano

40 Civilians killed today in Afghanistan by a US airstrike, what about their families ? I'm sure we're not in a hurry to hand over those responsible.

yes, but, like torture, we only bomb people because we have to.

[HyperU2]

Originally Posted by toscano

40 Civilians killed today in Afghanistan by a US airstrike, what about their families ? I'm sure we're not in a hurry to hand over those responsible.

The Germans called in that strike. War is hell, flying home from London shouldn't be.

[toscano]

Originally Posted by HyperU2

The Germans called in that strike. War is hell, flying home from London shouldn't be.

Is Germany at war with afghanistan ?

These people were flying home too.......but then again they were brown-skinned.

Iran Air Flight 655 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


One person's terrorist is another person's freedom fighter.

George Washington is a prime example.

[HyperU2]

Originally Posted by toscano

Is Germany at war with afghanistan ?

These people were flying home too.......but then again they were brown-skinned.

Iran Air Flight 655 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


One person's terrorist is another person's freedom fighter.

George Washington is a prime example.

No I guess Germany isn't at war with Afghanistan, they just have troops fighting there. News flash, we're not at war with Afghanistan either, we're on their team.

There is good reason that flight got shot down, you don't seem to be able to tell the difference between wartime confusion and intentional bombing of civilians.

You support the Lockerbie bombing then?

[toscano]

Originally Posted by HyperU2

No I guess Germany isn't at war with Afghanistan, they just have troops fighting there. News flash, we're not at war with Afghanistan either, we're on their team.

There is good reason that flight got shot down, you don't seem to be able to tell the difference between wartime confusion and intentional bombing of civilians.

You support the Lockerbie bombing then?

No, I don't.

But I get a real kick out of the hypocrisy and double standards.

[HyperU2]

Well it's not exactly the same sort of situation. By far.