Boycott Scotland and the United Kingdom

THE TIMES: Top terror suspect is freed over secrets fear
Quote: "The Home Secretary has released a man regarded as one of Britain’s most dangerous terror suspects from virtual house arrest to avoid disclosing secret evidence against him, The Times has learnt. The man, known only as AF, has been subject to a controversial “control order” since 2006 because of his alleged links with Islamic terrorists. He has never been charged, however, and the evidence for the allegations has never been heard in a public court ... AF, who was born in 1981 in Derby to a Libyan father and English mother, lives in a flat on the outskirts of Manchester. He was confined for up to 16 hours a day."

Comment: Is this another show of "compassion" to terrorists from the British government? Considering that the terror suspect is of dual British-Libyan citizenship, is this yet another concession from Britain to Gaddafi? Exactly how far down does the rabbit hole really go?

TELEGRAPH: Revealed: Libya paid for medical advice that helped Lockerbie bomber's release
Quote: "The British, Scottish and Libyan governments connived to free Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds The Sunday Telegraph can disclose ... Medical evidence that helped Megrahi, 57, to be released was paid for by the Libyan government, which encouraged three doctors to say he had only three months to live. The life expectancy of Megrahi was crucial because, under Scottish rules, prisoners can be freed on compassionate grounds only if they are considered to have this amount of time, or less, to live. "

TELEGRAPH: The Lockerbie bomber scandal: Gordon Brown has sold Britain’s reputation for thirty pieces of silver
Quote: "Today’s Sunday papers are filled with new revelations surrounding the complicity of Gordon Brown’s administration in the decision to release Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi. The Sunday Telegraph reveals that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) gave Libya a “sweetener” of Ł146,000 in aid for “reforms” in its prison system while talks were taking place between London and Tripoli over Megrahi’s fate, as well as British investment in Libya’s oil sector. The Sunday Telegraph also reports that British officials even negotiated with Mousa Kousa, a “terror mastermind” accused of planning the Lockerbie bombing, over Megrahi’s release."

DAILY MAIL: Prince Andrew 'had Lockerbie talks with Gaddafi son'
Quote: "Claims that Prince Andrew held secret ‘detailed discussions’ over the release of the Lockerbie bomber with Colonel Gaddafi’s son were at the centre of a simmering diplomatic row last night. Libyan officials yesterday claimed the Prince held off-the-record talks with Saif al-Islam Gaddafi days after Libya formally applied for convicted terrorist Abdelbaset Al Megrahi’s release. But last night, despite the Libyan assertions, Buckingham Palace denied any meetings or discussions had taken place between the Prince and Mr Gaddafi on the issue. "

THE TIMES: Gordon Brown vetoes Libyan payout to IRA victims
Quote: "Gordon Brown personally vetoed an attempt to force Colonel Muammar Gadaffi to compensate IRA bomb victims because it might have jeopardised British oil deals with Libya ... Documents passed to The Sunday Times reveal how the prime minister took a close interest in a campaign to secure payouts for the 2,500 families of those blown up by the Libyan-supplied Semtex explosive used by republican bombers ... The documents will cause embarrassment for Brown as he faces new questions over the early release of the convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi. In a further damaging twist, Jack Straw, the justice secretary, was last night accused by the Tories of misleading the public over the prime minister’s role in talks about the decision to free the terminally ill Libyan terrorist. "

TELEGRAPH: In the Megrahi affair, the more we learn, the worse it gets
Quote: "The way the Lockerbie bomber gained his release brings shame upon Britain ... Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi is the only person to have been convicted of planting the bomb that destroyed Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie. Megrahi murdered 270 people, including 51 British citizens. His release from a Scottish jail has caused fresh pain to many of the relatives of those he killed. It has tarnished Britain's reputation abroad, because in spite of the fact that the Scottish Executive has insisted that it took the decision to free Megrahi on its own, there is increasing evidence, including the story we publish today, that the British Government had, at the very least, a powerfully influential role in the decision."

HERALD SCOTLAND: America had a ‘clear understanding’ that Megrahi would stay in Scotland
Quote: "America had the “clear political and diplomatic understanding” that Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi would serve his full sentence in a Scottish jail, Sir Christopher Meyer, the UK ambassador to Washington at the time of the Lockerbie trial negotiations, claimed yesterday."

TELEGRAPH: Jack Straw admits Lockerbie bomber's release was linked to oil
Quote: "Jack Straw has reignited the row over the release of the Lockerbie bomber by admitting for the first time that trade and oil were an essential part of the Government’s decision to include him in a prisoner transfer deal with Libya ... The Justice Secretary said he was unapologetic about including Abdelbaset al Megrahi in the agreement, citing a multi-million-pound oil deal signed by BP and Libya six weeks later. The admission directly contradicts Gordon Brown's insistence only days ago that oil deals were not a factor in the prisoner's release. "

GUARDIAN: Salmond drawn into Megrahi row after talks with Qatar revealed
Quote: "Alex Salmond has been personally linked to the "trade for terrorists" row after it emerged that a major Arab oil state raised the fate of Lockerbie bomber during talks with the Scottish first minister on bilateral trade deals. Salmond is in talks with the Qatari government about investment links and is believed to have discussed substantial Qatari loans to fund flagship projects such as a new Ł2bn Forth road bridge, major subsea electricity cables and other capital programmes under the Scottish Futures Trust funding body. It has now emerged that the Qatari minister for international cooperation, Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Attiyah, personally pressed Salmond over the fate of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi at a meeting on 11 June to discuss possible investments. The minister then asked for Megrahi to be released on compassionate grounds in a further letter in July in which he also represented the Arab League, the powerful umbrella body for Middle Eastern and north African oil states. "

UKPA: Arab world 'urged bomber's release'
Quote: "The SNP Government faced calls from the Arab world to "urgently" release the Lockerbie bomber, according to official documents. It came a month before Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi was freed on compassionate grounds and followed a meeting between First Minister Alex Salmond and the Qatari Government's minister of state for international co-operation. The emirate wrote to the Scottish Government on behalf of the Arab League to appeal for Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi's compassionate release - one week before the application was made by the bomber himself."

THE TIMES: BP lobbied Jack Straw before he changed mind over Lockerbie bomber
Quote: "Jack Straw was personally lobbied by BP over Britain’s prisoner transfer agreement with Libya just before he abandoned efforts to exclude the Lockerbie bomber from the deal. The Times has learnt that the Justice Secretary took two telephone calls from Sir Mark Allen, a former M16 agent, who was by then working for BP as a consultant, on October 15 and November 9, 2007. Having signed a $900 million oil exploration deal with Libya earlier that year, BP feared that its commercial interests could be damaged if Britain delayed the prisoner transfer agreement (PTA) through which the Gaddafi regime hoped to secure the return home of Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi. "

WALL STREET JOURNAL: Senators Riled Over Lockerbie Bomber’s Release
Quote: "Anger over Scotland’s early release of the Lockerbie bomber isn’t subsiding in Washington. Prodded by Sen. Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is considering holding a hearing on the future of U.S.-Libya relations. Lautenberg, Congress’s point man on Libya, called for a probe into the release of terrorist Abdel Baset al-Megrahi in a letter Wednesday to the Foreign Relations Committee. Lautenberg was initially infuriated with the hero’s welcome Libya gave the convicted terrorist, and is now training his sights on the U.K. ... Foreign Relations Chairman John Kerry has been openly critical of Scotland’s decision and signed a letter sent to the country’s justice minister, Kenny MacAskill, voicing the Congress’s disapproval of his decision. “Sen. Kerry has been disgusted by the release of al-Megrahi,” is how committee spokesman Frederick Jones put it."

TELEGRAPH: Scottish Parliament overwhelmingly rejects Lockerbie bomber release
Quote: "The decision to release the Lockerbie bomber has been rejected by MSPs amid accusations it has damaged Scotland's reputation for years to come ... In a symbolic vote at the Scottish Parliament, MSPs ruled that Kenny MacAskill, the SNP justice minister, mishandled Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi's request to return to Libya."

GUARDIAN: Gordon Brown finally admits support for Lockerbie bomber release
Quote: "PM's statement comes on same day as Scottish parliament votes to condemn move ... Gordon Brown risked alienating the Obama administration and British public opinion, when he finally admitted that he agreed with the Scottish executive's decision to release the Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds ... In a statement, Brown said: " I respect the right of the Scottish ministers to make the decision, and the decision." Number 10 acknowledged that his remarks were an endorsement of the early release."

DAILY RECORD: Lockerbie bomber documents show Prime Minister 'didn't want Megrahi to die in Scots jail'
Quote: "Prime Minister Gordon Brown did not want the Lockerbie bomber to die in a Scots jail, according to documents released yesterday ... But the claims over Brown's view on the matter started a new storm. And the documents also revealed that First Minister Alex Salmond had discussed Megrahi's possible return to Libya in a meeting with a minister from oil-rich Qatar - two months before he was freed."

THE INDEPENDENT: PM 'did not want Megrahi to die in Britain'
Quote: "As Gaddafi celebrates 40 years' rule in Libya, a new political storm rages over Lockerbie bomber ... Libyan officials were secretly told that Gordon Brown wanted the Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi to return home rather than have him die on British soil. The message was conveyed by a former Foreign Office minister Bill Rammell after the Libyans had warned that Megrahi's death in a Scottish prison would have a "catastrophic" impact on relations between the two countries."

TELEGRAPH: Lockerbie letters in full
Quote: "Letters relating to the Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi sent to the Scottish executive by the British Ministry of Justice and the Foreign Office have been released ... The letters start in June 2007, shortly after Tony Blair, the former Prime Minister, had travelled to Libya to meet Colonel Gaddafi. "

THE TIMES: Lockerbie paper trail leads to Gordon Brown
Quote: "Gordon Brown was accused of double dealing last night after an official document emerged claiming that Libya was told that he wanted the Lockerbie bomber to die a free man. The disclosure threatens to undermine the Government’s determinedly neutral stance over the release of Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi. It could also deepen the rift with the Obama administration, which yesterday demanded answers from the Government over its role in the affair. Papers released by the Scottish government included the minutes of a meeting with Libya earlier this year during which it was stated that Bill Rammell, then a foreign office minister, told Tripioli that neither the Prime Minister nor David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, “would want Mr Megrahi to pass away in prison”. "

THE TIMES: David Cameron: 'A catalogue of errors that shames the UK'
Quote: "After the bizarre release of al-Megrahi, the British public have been left disgracefully in the dark ... Twelve days ago, Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi was released by the Scottish government. His freedom came two decades after a bomb, which was smuggled on to Pan Am Flight 103, exploded over Lockerbie, killing 11 people on the ground and 259 people on the plane. The only man convicted of the crime, al-Megrahi spent just eight years in prison — less than a fortnight for each victim — and was welcomed back to Tripoli as a returning hero. Decisions concerning the fate of criminals, not least those responsible for mass murder, often provoke widespread public anger. But the outrage at this one has crossed continents and damaged our relationship with our closest ally, America. It has been a fiasco."

THE INDEPENDENT: If the Megrahi deal is justice, then we're all bananas
Quote: "As ever, New Labour is obsessed with politics before government, and image before substance ... A number of letters to this newspaper have acclaimed the decision of the Scottish Government to release Megrahi – and accused the Americans, from President Obama downwards, of overweening arrogance in complaining about the release. This shows, at best, an amazing parochialism, and at worst a form of heartlessness, to believe that the fate of the bomber of Pan Am Flight 103 is no business of the American people ... How pathetic it is that the British and Scottish Governments, through their ham-fisted manoeuvrings over Megrahi, have managed to earn almost as much contempt at home as they have among Americans. Still, at least they know that they are well in with those charming Gadaffis."

THE TIMES: Special Relationship. Passed away 2009. R.I.P.
Quote: "For some time America has regarded this country as Little Britain. The Lockerbie bomber case is seen as the final straw ... The row over the decision to allow Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi to return to Libya is the final nail in the coffin for the transatlantic bond first identified by Winston Churchill after the Second World War. Even Barack Obama abandoned his normal diplomatic tone to criticise the “highly objectionable” arrival of the bomber in Tripoli. Robert Mueller, the head of the FBI, said that the release of the man convicted of murdering 270 people on Pan Am Flight 103 made a “mockery of justice” and would give “comfort to terrorists around the world”."

THE TIMES: UK and Scottish governments ‘did deal’ over Lockerbie bomber release
Quote: "Britain’s former ambassador to Tripoli said yesterday he believes that the Scottish and British governments did “some kind of deal” with Libya to release the Lockerbie bomber. Oliver Miles told The Times that there was “something fishy” in the coincidence that Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi’s lawyers applied to drop his appeal against conviction on the same day that news of his imminent release was leaked to the media. “I cannot know what exactly happened but I believe that the UK and Scottish governments wanted the appeal to be dropped and somehow it was dropped”, said Mr Miles. The claims by Mr Miles, deputy chairman of the UK-Libya Business Council, came as the UK Government revealed that it will publish “all relevant” correspondence with the Scottish Executive over al-Megrahi’s release. "

DAILY MAIL: Was dropping Lockerbie appeal all part of the deal?
Quote: "Evidence is mounting that the Lockerbie bomber's decision to drop his appeal against conviction was part of a secret deal ahead of his release. A leaked email suggests that Abdelbaset Ali Al Megrahi was quietly urged to abandon a potentially embarrassing court battle to clear his name in return for freedom. The email, written by a whistleblower in the Scottish justice department and sent to contacts who believed Megrahi was innocent, says the need to drop legal action was 'rammed home' to the Libyans. It says they were told an appeal would create an 'almighty headache' for the criminal justice system amid concerns about flaws in the case against Megrahi and claims that evidence was withheld from his defence team. The email will fuel the international furore over Megrahi's return home last month, which yesterday prompted extraordinary U.S. calls for sanctions against Britain. Chuck Schumer, a senior Democrat, said action should be taken if there had been any deal involving the release of the Lockerbie bomber. "

NY POST: CHUCK: HIT BRITS OVER LOCKERBIE
Quote: " Sen. Chuck Schumer yesterday called for sanctions against Britain if there was a "quid-pro-quo" involving the release of the Lockerbie bomber and Libya's approval of a multibillion-dollar oil deal. "You can't allow a vicious terrorist who killed so many to go free after eight years," the New York Democrat said. "If it is true that there was a quid pro quo -- and it hasn't been proven yet -- there ought to be some sanctions against Britain." "

TELEGRAPH: Lockerbie bomber: Jack Straw admits Government caved in to Libya
Quote: "Jack Straw has admitted that the Government caved in to Libyan demands to include the Lockerbie bomber in a prisoner transfer deal. "

THE TIMES: Lord Mandelson accused of secretly lobbying for Libya during Lockerbie bomber talks
Quote: "Lord Mandelson has been accused of secretly lobbying for the interests of Libya at the time of its alleged prisoner-for-oil deal with Britain. Informed sources say that, nearly a year after Lord Mandelson stepped down as European Trade Commissioner to return to the Cabinet, he has continued to push personally for a new and quick European Union (EU) trade deal with Libya ... Lord Mandelson’s growing links to Libya can be revealed just days after Saif Gaddafi, the Libyan leader’s son, insisted that freedom for the Lockerbie bomber was directly linked to lucrative deals in the north African country for British firms. "

SUNDAY HERALD: ‘Megrahi could live for a year'
Quote: "Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi could "easily" live another year with proper medication, according to the UK's leading prostate expert, raising fresh doubts about the decision to return him to Libya on compassionate grounds. Professor Roger Kirby, chairman of the charity Prostate UK and director of The Prostate Centre, said justice secretary Kenny MacAskill could have "egg on his face" after accepting that Megrahi's terminal prostate cancer left him just three months to live - the benchmark for compassionate release. In an article in today's Sunday Herald, Prof Kirby says he is "extremely sceptical" about the three months prognosis."

AFP: Britain's u-turn on Lockerbie bomber 'for oil': report
Quote: "The British government decided two years ago it was "in the overwhelming interests of the United Kingdom" to make the Lockerbie bomber eligible for return to Libya, The Sunday Times newspaper reported. Leaked letters show Justice Secretary Jack Straw informed his Scottish counterpart, Kenny MacAskill, of the decision to include Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi in a prisoner transfer agreement, the report said. Five months earlier Straw had said he favoured excluding Megrahi from the agreement. The Sunday Times said Straw changed his position after discussions between Libya and BP over a massive oil exploration deal had become bogged down, but they were resolved soon afterwards."

Security Info Watch: Are passengers safe from terrorists?
Quote: "Release of Pan Am Flight 103 bomber raises questions of aviation security ... the primary threat to commercial planes is, was and shall remain the smuggling aboard of explosives, which is what happened on Pan Am 103."

BBC: Majority 'oppose' Megrahi release
Quote: "An opinion poll conducted for BBC News in Scotland has found a majority of those surveyed are against the Scottish government's decision to release the Lockerbie bomber. Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi received a hero's welcome on his return to Libya after being freed from a jail in Scotland on health grounds. The survey from ICM Research has shown 60% of those questioned thought the Scottish government was wrong. "

THE TIMES: Britain accused of breaking promise to US over Abdel Baset Ali al-Megrahi
Quote: "Britain was accused last night of reneging on a promise to the United States that the Lockerbie bomber would serve his sentence in Scotland. According to confidential correspondence obtained by The Times, ministers urged the Scottish government to consider returning Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi to Libya under a prisoner transfer deal in an apparent breach of a decade-old pledge. A former Cabinet minister and two sources close to talks over the handover of suspects in 1999 told The Times that Robin Cook, then Foreign Secretary, promised Madeleine Albright, US Secretary of State at the time, that anyone found guilty would serve their sentence in Scotland, where the airliner exploded with the loss of 270 lives. A senior US official said: “There was a clear understanding at the time of the trial that al-Megrahi would serve his sentence in Scotland. In the 1990s the UK had the same view. It is up to them to explain what changed.”"

REUTERS: Scots divided over release of Lockerbie bomber
Quote: "Scots are divided over the decision to free the Lockerbie bomber on humanitarian grounds, a poll by Ipsos MORI Scotland for Thomson Reuters showed ... Thirty-seven percent of those polled, the largest group, said they "strongly disagreed" with the decision to free Megrahi, while a further 10 percent "tended to disagree." But that was almost balanced by 19 percent who "strongly agreed" with MacAskill and 21 percent who "tended to agree." The remainder either had no strong opinion or said they did not know about the merits of the decision ... Americans angered by the decision have launched a "Boycott Scotland" campaign and MacAskill's political opponents say he has harmed the image of the country of 5 million."

AP: US warned Scotland bomber could get hero's welcome
Quote: "Attorney General Eric Holder warned his Scottish counterpart in June that the man convicted of blowing U.S.-bound Pan Am Flight 103 out of the sky could get a hero's welcome if allowed to return to Libya, according to the head of a victims' families group. Holder's warning to Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill came nearly two months before the bomber, Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, was released from a Scottish prison and greeted by a cheering crowd on his arrival in Libya last week. The Scottish administration has faced unrelenting criticism from both the U.S. government and the families of American victims of the airline bombing since the decision to free the terminally ill al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds."

USA TODAY: Gadhafi's son: 'Why so angry' over release?
Quote: "The son of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi says Scotland's release of the only man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing opens the way for trade deals between Britain and Libya. "Lockerbie is history," Saif al-Islam al-Gadhafi said of Pan Am Flight 103, which blew up over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988, killing 270 people. "The next step is fruitful and productive business with Edinburgh, London. Libya is a promising rich market and so let's talk about the future. "There is no reason for people to be angry. Why be so angry? This is an innocent man who is dying," Gadhafi said in his first interview since returning to Libya last week with the freed prisoner, whose release sparked outrage in the USA."

Comment: Saif al-Islam asks why are we angry. Because terrorists such as him continue to insult and defame the victims of Lockerbie and continue to deny responsibility for that act of terrorism which destroyed the lives of so many families. We are angry because al-Megrahi, who was rightfully convicted by Scottish judges, was released only eight years after his conviction. We are angry because his release was a concession demanded by Gaddafi, a concession linked to trade deals between Libya and the United Kingdom. We are angry because Gaddafi and his son, bloodthirsty tyrants who are responsible for numerous acts of terrorism and terrorism against their own people, are able to blackmail politicians in our Western democracies to get what they want. No self-respecting Western government should ever bow to demands made by such regimes and their murderous leaders. To Saif al-Islam, Lockerbie may be history to you, because you have not one shred of humanity within you, but to the families and friends of the Lockerbie victims, we will have to live with the memory of that tragedy and the murder of our loved ones by the likes of you for the rest of our lives.

THE SUN: "He should've been left to rot."
Quote: "Scottish Sun readers gave a massive thumbs down to Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskil yesterday - and insisted the Lockerbie bomber should have been left in prison to DIE. In our Sun readers poll 60 PERCENT of you said Abedelbaset Ali al-Megrahi should have been kept behind bars in Scotland. Our online survey showed Scots are in little doubt about what the terrorist's fate should have been. Just 25 per cent agreed with the Libyan being given compassionate release. Eight per cent believed he should have been released to die at a medical facility in Scotland. Only five per cent said he should have been transferred to a Libyan prison. And just one per cent felt he should have been given home release in this country. ""

DAILY MAIL: Lockerbie bomber al-Megrahi sent home 'on the advice of just ONE doctor'
Quote: "Fresh doubts over the decision to release the Lockerbie bomber were raised last night. It emerged that the doctor who advised that Abdel Baset Ali al-Megrahi had fewer than three months to live was not an expert in prostate cancer. This advice was instrumental in persuading the Scottish government to release him on compassionate grounds, and allow him to return to Libya - where he received a hero's welcome ... But the official report on Mr Megrahi's health, which was released yesterday, said that no prostate cancer specialist 'would be willing to say' how long he had left to live. Instead, Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill relied on the 'opinion' of an unnamed doctor, believed to be a GP, who had no experience in terminal prostate cancer. ""

THE TIMES: Brown is wrong to say al-Megrahi’s release is a matter for Scotland
Quote: "At least Gordon Brown does not get as much of the blame as Colonel Muammar Gaddafi over the al-Megrahi affair. But that is scant consolation. The row has been very damaging for the Prime Minister, as he has struggled to explain his position and failed to convince voters. Well over half (56 per cent) think that he has handled the issue badly, according to a Populus poll for The Times. Not for the first time, Mr Brown has appeared both ineffective and devious. He argues that the release was entirely a matter for the Scottish government, so he cannot comment beyond deploring the warm public welcome that al-Megrahi received in Libya. But that is a curious misreading of both the constitutional and political realities of devolution.""

THE TIMES: Times poll: 61% think al-Megrahi release was about oil, not compassion
Quote: "Gordon Brown’s Government faces widespread public suspicion that the release of Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi, the Lockerbie bomber, had more to do with oil than his terminal cancer. A special Populus poll for The Times, conducted on Wednesday, reveals widespread public criticism of the release and scepticism about the reasons, with much of the blame falling on the Prime Minister. ""

THE SUN: "For the first time, I'm ashamed to be a Scot"
Quote: "I arrived in New York yesterday and, for the first time in my life, I felt ashamed to be Scottish. As Billy Connolly once said: "I was about as welcome as a fart in a spacesuit." Why? Because of the Lockerbie bomber. Don't be taken in by Alex Salmond's spin that Scotland is being applauded for setting free Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi - the Libyan convicted of the atrocity. They may be dancing on the streets of Tripoli, but not here in Manhattan.""

THE ECONOMIST: The Lockerbie fallout: Counting the cost
Quote: "The decision to release the Lockerbie bomber will have lasting consequences.""

THE ECONOMIST: The Lockerbie controversy: Friends like these
Quote: "There are various possible justifications for the release of the Lockerbie bomber. None is persuasive.""

CHILLICOTHE GAZETTE: Deaths from crash over Lockerbie, Scotland, were not forgotten
Quote: "As a new resident of Ohio (I was a longtime resident of Syrcause, N.Y., and a graduate of Syracuse University), I was appalled to read about the individual who caused a terrible accident over Lockerbie, Scotland, in December 1988. He murdered 270 people and then was released from jail. The Scottish secretary said, "Mercy must be shown." Where was the murderer's mercy? Syracuse University has never forgotten these deaths. Each year, the university awards scholarships to its students from Lockerbie, Scotland, as a remembrance for those Lockerbie residents who were murdered. I believe it is time for our government to get a little tougher with our so-called "friends."."

Comment: Of the 270 victims of the terrorist, 35 were Syracuse University students who were studying abroad and were returning home to their families for the holidays. Megrahi showed them no mercy when he stole their lives away from them and left their families with a sadness and pain that can never go away. Syracuse and Lockerbie have since enjoyed a strong bond, which makes the heinous betrayal of Mr. MacAskill and others complicit in this affair in the Scottish National Party and the British government even more hurtful and tragic. Americans never forget, and this is a fact that everyone in power and authority in the United Kingdom should take note of.

GEORGETOWN NEWS-GRAPHIC: How can Scotland forget?
Quote: "I remember the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, and the horror of seeing the photos of the nose section of that 747 lying broken on the ground ... And I remember that it has been conclusively proven that the government of Libya was behind this bombing ... Apparently Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has forgotten all of that just as he forgot that the bomber from that incident, Abdelbeset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi, was only eight years ago sentenced to life in prison for the mass murder of 270 people. Maybe I’m missing something but to me a life sentence means that the convicted criminal will spend the rest of his/her life in prison for their crime. Or in this case, the over 270 murders and assorted other crimes al Megrahi committed."

DAILY RECORD: Under-fire Kenny MacAskill takes holiday as new row breaks out over Lockerbie bomber release
Quote: "Under pressure justice secretary Kenny MacAskill went on holiday yesterday as a fresh row began over the government's handling of the Megrahi affair. A Scottish government spokesman confirmed that the minister was taking a short break. He added: "The justice secretary is taking a few days' leave - his first since the start of recess in June." ... But that drew little sympathy from Labour's deputy justice spokesman Paul Martin. He said: "Kenny MacAskill's decision to disappear on holiday when there are still vital questions to be answered about Megrahi's release is a snub to the Lockerbie victims. "The justice secretary still needs to publish the documents that led him to order the release of Megrahi. Instead, when the going gets tough, MacAskill gets going."

Comment: Choosing to run away from the public outrage that has erupted is not only a "snub" to the Lockerbie victims, but degrading to them in the worst possible way by revealing his own cowardice in confronting the facts and his inability to take responsibility for the consequences of his actions . It also reveals the immense lack of respect this man and the Scottish National Party have for the people of Scotland. The fact that Mr. Salmond continues to dimiss and belittle the concerns of the families of the Lockerbie victims as being unimportant and has literally ignored our protests, as well as ignoring the protests of American government officials, will only makes things worse for them. They have not even had the backbone to acknowledge the protests of the Scottish people whom they were elected to represent. Instead of having the courage to stand up and admit their errors and apologize to the families of the Lockerbie victims and help resolve the many questions that need to be answered about this situation, they continue to reveal their cowardice and spinelessness. Instead of helping things, they are taking a course of action that will only backfire upon them.
Mr. MacAskill and Mr. Salmond, you have both proven yourselves to be incompetent and arrogant beyond reason, and it is our sincere hope that the people of Scotland will demand your resignations. You are both a disgrace to the people of Scotland and the United Kingdom as a whole.

NEWSDAY: Letters to the Editor on al-Megrahi
Quotes: "I would suppose that a life sentence meant just that - you die in jail. Perhaps the Scots should rename it 'jail until terminal illness occurs' instead of 'life in prison.'"
"Having witnessed the hero's welcome extended to Abdel Baset al-Megrahi on his return to Libya, I realize that respect for people and their lives does not exist in the same capacity elsewhere as it does here."

UKPA: Minister's visits to Libya queried
Quote: "Pressure is increasing on Gordon Brown to disclose details of trade deals negotiated with Libya. It comes after it was reported that three ministers had visited the country in 15 months leading up to the release of the Lockerbie bomber."

WALL STREET JOURNAL: Britain and the Lockerbie Bomber
Quote: "London officials seem to have been involved in the decision to release Abdel Basset Ali Megrahi."

DAILY MAIL: Lockerbie probe call over ministers' trips to Libya
Quote: "Gordon Brown was facing calls for an independent inquiry last night as more evidence emerged of Labour's close links to Libya in the wake of the release of the Lockerbie bomber ... Former deputy prime minister John Prescott yesterday said he had no objections to the release of the bomber. His remarks were seized on by the Scottish National Party as proof that Labour was happy with the Edinburgh government's move. It comes as support for Scottish independence has slumped in the wake of the Lockerbie affair. A YouGov poll for the Daily Mail found that only 28 per cent back independence, down eight points in a year. Nearly a third of Scots want Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, who freed Megrahi, to resign. And 70 per cent believe their reputation abroad has suffered. YouGov polled 1,078 Scottish adults this week.”

NY TIMES: The Lede: Qaddafi’s Son Says Release of Lockerbie Convict Was Part of Business Negotiations
Quote: "In the same interview, Mr. Qaddafi called the families of the Lockerbie victims “very greedy” and said, “Instead of wasting their time blackmailing us,” they should now work with the Libyan government “in order to find the real criminal who was behind that attack.”

Comment: We have repeatedly stated that Gaddafi has always refused to take responsibility for the acts of terrorism that he and his regime have sponsored, including Lockerbie. And yet this is the same man that Western governments have been going out of their to accomodate and appease, going so far as to remove Libya from their respective lists of state sponsors of terror for the promise of oil and trade. And yet MacAskill has rewarded this terrorist leader by releasing one of his agents back to him, the man responsible for the cold-blooded murder of 270 people, on "compassionate grounds." This is a tyrant that has the vicious audacity to attack and defame the families of the Lockerbie victims, continually attempting to wash his hands of the blood of those he has murdered. It is bad enough that our governments have been accomodating this tyrant like a legitimate statesman. But for MacAskill to reward him the way he did is absolutely unforgivable and disgraceful. Again,to correct this tremendous injustice and for rewarding terrorism, Mr. MacAskill must resign as Justice Secretary. To continue behaving as if he has done nothing wrong is not only an insult to the families of the Lockerbie victims, but furthermore is an insult to the people of Scotland.

GUARDIAN: Jack Straw raises questions about Scottish handling of Lockerbie case
Quote: "Justice secretary says he has never visited a prisoner in jail who has applied for compassionate release, as his Scottish counterpart did with Abdelbaset al-Megrahi."

WASHINGTON POST: On Faith Panelists Blog: Shame on Scotland

UKPA: MacAskill 'misled public' claim
Quote: "Scotland's Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has been accused of misleading the public over one of his reasons for freeing the Lockerbie bomber. The Tories said Mr MacAskill created the "impression" that releasing Abdelbaset Ali Al Megrahi from prison but keeping him in Scotland would have posed massive security problems. But Scottish Tory leader Annabel Goldie seized on a report that police had simply been asked how many officers such an option would require, and had not been asked for advice on the feasibility of it."

DAILY RECORD: Pressure mounts on Kenny MacAskill after four medical experts say Lockerbie bomber was not sick enough to be released
Quote: "Kenny MacAskill was last night accused of freeing the Lockerbie bomber on the advice of a prison service doctor without getting a second opinion. Four specialists said in June and July that Abdelbaset al-Megrahi could live for up to 10 months and was not sick enough to be released. But the embattled minister was at the centre of anewstorm yesterday as a Labour MSP questioned the prison doctor's opinion. The attack by qualified doctor Richard Simpson heaped even more pressure on MacAskill,whocaused fury onboth sides of the Atlantic when he let the killer of 270 Lockerbie victims go free. Simpson, who once worked on prostate cancer research, said: "It is clear to me, from the medical reports and the opinion of the specialists, that Megrahi could live for many more months. "Kenny MacAskill apparently released him on the advice of just one doctor ."

Comment: As we have stated from the very beginning of this campaign, Mr. MacAskill is corrupt to the bone and the worst sort of liar in that he clearly used the excuse of "compassion" to free a mass murderer in order to secure lucrative trade deals behind closed doors in concert with Westminster. That they are so cold-blooded to do this over the dead bodies of the Lockerbie victims and that there are people both within the establishment and without who have the gall to support these heartless men is nothing short of an outrage. Justice in the name of the victims of Lockerbie must be met through the resignation of Mr. MacAskill and statements of apology from both Mr. Salmond and Mr. Brown regarding their involvement in this despicable charade.

PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: Worldview: How Brits got 'compassion'
Quote: "Trade interests and threats from Libya probably persuaded U.K. officials to let the Pan Am bomber go home to a hero's welcome. Does anyone really believe that Scottish officials sent Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi back to Libya for "compassionate" reasons? Yes, the former Libyan intelligence agent is purportedly dying of cancer. But as a London Times columnist asked: Would the same Scots release Robert Black, the Scottish serial killer of young girls, if he were on death's door? Clearly something is going on here that has little to do with compassion. Americans, who remember the Lockerbie tragedy with horror, deserve to know the real reason Megrahi was freed. The most likely possibility falls under the heading "business and blackmail." The Brits have extensive trade interests in Libya, and Megrahi had become an obstacle to them. (No one believes British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's claim that the decision rested solely with Scottish officials)."

AP: NYC clergy condemns Scotland freeing bomber

THE INDEPENDENT: Brown breaks Lockerbie silence – up to a point
Quote: "There were further claims that the UK Government did play a part in the process leading to Megrahi's release. The Scottish Government, which plans to release documents about the affair within days, said: 'The only obstacle to publishing material has come from the UK Labour government, who previously failed to grant permission to publish their communications to us regarding the prisoner-transfer agreement, and we hope that they will now support disclosure.' Labour and Tory MSPs claimed that Megrahi could live longer than the three months cited in a medical report issued last week, which had provided the grounds for his release."

THE SUN: Time to speak up, Mr. Brown
Quote: "The Tories say a night out in Britain is like a nightmare episode from The Wire. Advertisement With CCTV pictures showing so much mindless, drunken savagery, it is hard to disagree. Stabbings and beatings are routine - not just on rundown council estates, but in leafy suburbs and country towns across the country. Now, shamefully, we have begun exporting violence, giving Britain an unenviable reputation for drunken hooliganism. A staggering, literally, 2,290 were arrested for drink or drug-fuelled offences in Spain last year - more than any other country. Over 1,500 were arrested in America, nearly 300 in the Emirates. Welcome to Broken Britain... now with branches worldwide.'"

DAILY EXPRESS: BROWN 'REPULSED' OVER BOMBER BUT STILL WON'T CONDEMN HIS RELEASE

TELEGRAPH: A grievous blow to the Special Relationship

TELEGRAPH: Gordon Brown’s Lockerbie response is cowardly and pathetic

TELEGRAPH: If Gordon Brown really wants to fight terrorism, he should have blocked the release of the Lockerbie bomber

THE TIMES: Gordon Brown finally breaks silence on Lockerbie to condemn Libya
Comment: Too little, too late. Brown still refuses to acknowledge his role in the release.

BELFAST TELEGRAPH: IRA victims renew calls for Libyan compensation

AMERICAN CHRONICLE: Minister Faces Quizzing on Lockerbie Release As Scots MPs Return Early

MIRROR: BROWN TOLD: END LOCKERBIE SILENCE
Quote: "Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox blasted: 'Gordon Brown is willing to give his opinion on Michael Jackson, he gave his opinion on racism in Big Brother, he has time to give his views on England's cricket team, but a deafening silence on the release of a mass murderer. I think it's cowardly.'"

TELEGRAPH: Nice one, Kenny MacAskill... now they're all angry with us Scots

NEW MAJORITY: Lockerbie Families Ask: Was There a Deal with Libya?

HUFFINGTON POST: Britain's New Royalty -- The Oil Potentates

NY TIMES: Fury Grows Over Release of Lockerbie Convict

THE SUN: Justice... 0 Libya... won

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR: Lockerbie families raise doubts as Scotland defends release

NATIONAL POST: Laura Rosen Cohen: Failing to learn the Lockerbie lesson

GUARDIAN: Lockerbie bomber decision leaves SNP facing censure from furious opposition

WALL STREET JOURNAL: Lockerbie Fallout Spreads to London

THE TIMES: Downing Street says Lockerbie release is too sensitive to comment on

TELEGRAPH: Kenny MacAskill to face furious MSPs over Lockerbie bomber release

AP: Scotland's Parliament gathering for emergency meeting on Lockerbie release

TELEGRAPH: John Bolton: Was the Lockerbie release bad diplomacy, or good business?

THE SUN: SNP Government faces pressure over bomber's release
Quote: "Alex Salmond's SNP Government was last night fighting for survival over its decision to free the Lockerbie bomber. Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill is today facing a vote condemning his move to release Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi. "

UKPA: MacAskill faces MSPs over Lockerbie
Quote: "The SNP Government's unilateral decision to release a convicted mass murderer has brought Scotland's standing in the world to an all-time low."

THE SUN: Kenny’s outdone himself this time
Quote: "In 40 devastating minutes MacAskill destroyed Scotland's standing in the world."

NY DAILY NEWS: U.S. politicians question Brits' dealings with Khadafy in relation to Lockerbie bomber's release

DAILY MAIL: If Britain has flouted justice and decency to feather its nest in a squalid deal with Gaddafi, the scandal will know no bounds

TELEGRAPH: Lockerbie bomber release: pressure mounting on Gordon Brown

PRESS RELEASE: NY State Senator Andrew Lanza outraged at Scotland’s decision and encourages Americans to exert economic pressure on Scotland

GUARDIAN: US piles pressure on Britain over release of Lockerbie bomber

FOX NEWS: Adm. Mullen: Decision to Release Lockerbie Bomber 'Political'

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR: Adm. Mullen joins Lockerbie outrage

THE TIMES: Lockerbie release could topple SNP government

TELEGRAPH: The Lockerbie Bomber Scandal – Cameron should demand an independent inquiry

UPI: Tories seek Brown's role in release

SCOTSMAN: MacAskill was wrong