Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi Alive 5 Months Later

The convicted Lockerbie bomber, Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi is still alive three months after his release from a Scottish prison after cancer specialist Karol Sikora said he had only three months to live. See a video below of Lockerbie, actual footage immediately after the crash, and hear some of the resident who escaped death on the night of December 21st, 1988. Update 1-6-09: Still alive and counting 5 months later.

Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi

Scandal has erupted all around this "compassionate release." Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was charged and convicted of killing 270 people on December 21, 1988, including 35 Syracuse University students, when Pam Am Flight 103 exploded over the Scottish town of Lockerbie.

Amid outcries from the families of victims, Scotland released him to Libya on August 20th. Three months later, Senator Chuck Schumer is calling for Megrahi's return to the Scottish prison.

Speculations that Britain agreed to the release to further improve failing business relations with Libya, amounting to billions of pounds, has been denied, but numerous reports and even, correspondence, seems to verify that Scotland was just taking orders from Britain.

The British embassy and its consulates in the US received hundreds of letters and phone calls expressing hostility to the release.

Conservatives in the Scottish parliament are pressing MacAskill to publish Megrahi's medical papers as well as the latest updates on his health. Under the terms of the release Megrahi is required to update officials in Scotland every month via a video link on his medical status.

Bill Aitken, the Scottish Tory justice spokesman, said: "Megrahi lost all rights to patient confidentiality when he became Britain's worst mass murderer. Scotland is still sickened by the sight of his hero's return to Tripoli."

Note that there is no confirmation that Megrahi hooked up via video link.

Update 1-6-09: A few thoughts from Hot Air:

The West, however, has a lot of explaining to do — and not just the UK and Scotland.  The exchange of Megrahi for oil contracts shows everything wrong with handling terrorists as common criminals.  Megrahi was only available for the exchange because Scotland treated him as a murderer instead of a terrorist, and refused to put him to death in the accustomed manner for unlawful combatants at war.  Scotland can be forgiven that decision, given the inexperience we all had at the time of his capture.  The US has much less excuse for doing the same think with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, and the dozens of Yemenis that Obama seems keen on sending back to Yemen for even less than the UK got from Libya for Megrahi.

The video below is incredible footage of the town of Lockerbie and the houses now decimated by debris and fire. Lockerbie residents talk about this unbelievable event - one talks of the 44 bodies scattered in her backyard with more on her roof. This horrific act of terrorism brought only one man to prison. Al-Megrahi received a life sentence, only to be released 21 years later.



Lockerbie Bombing - Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi (video) 

Others talking about Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi:
By Sarah Lyall - a very personal account of the days after Pan Am 103 went down.

Related and Background:
Bay of Rigs Scandal Leaking: Dispersants are Where the Money Is

Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi Alive 5 Months Later

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US Lockerbie Bribes? US Lockerbie Payments? Lockerbie Witnesses Paid by US?