The Baron doth protest too much

The FBI'S director attacked Scotland's justice minister on Saturday for releasing the Lockerbie bomber, saying it gives "comfort to terrorists" around the world.

Robert Mueller made his comments in a letter sent to Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, who allowed Abdelbaset al-Megrahi to return to Libya because he has prostate cancer and has only months to live.

It should be noted that Robert Mueller was nominated by President George W. Bush and became the sixth Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on September 4, 2001. So he was part of organising the killing of millions of innocent people in Iraq and Afghanistan, along with Bush and Blair.

His letter to Scotland's Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill:

Your action in releasing Megrahi is as inexplicable as it is detrimental to the cause of justice. Indeed your action makes a mockery of the rule of law. Your action gives comfort to terrorists around the world who now believe that regardless of the quality of the investigation, the conviction by jury after the defendant is given all due process, and sentence appropriate to the crime, the terrorist will be freed by one man's exercise of ''compassion''. Your action rewards a terrorist even though he never admitted to his role in this act of mass murder and even though neither he nor the government of Libya ever disclosed the names and roles of others who were responsible.

Perhaps the FBI needs a new director.

The USA authorities have a history of forcibly overthrowing foreign governments perceived as hostile, and replaced them with new ones. This includes democratically-elected governments replaced by dictatorships. Some examples of this at A Short History of US Overthrow of Democratically Elected Regimes

Lets also not forget the USA backed the mujahideen (who were joined by Osama Bin Laden) and Saddam Hussein.

The Scottish justice secretary has said he stands by his decision to free the Lockerbie bomber, telling MSPs he will "live with the consequences". Mr MacAskill gave a statement to the Scottish Parliament, which was recalled early from its summer break. Megrahi received a life sentence in 2001 after being convicted of the UK's worst terrorist atrocity, which claimed 270 lives in 1988. The 57-year-old, who has prostate cancer, returned home to Libya on Thursday to jubilant scenes which included people waving Scottish flags.

The justice secretary told parliament that assurances had been given by the Libyan government that Megrahi's return would be treated in a "low-key" manner.
BBC Scotland

Doc Richard speculates that Baron Mandlesons denial leaves room for other possibilities.

Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi thanked the Queen, Prince Andrew and Gordon Brown over the release of the Lockerbie bomber. Baron Mandelson met Colonel Gaddafi's son days before it emerged that the Lockerbie bomber was to be freed.

Speaking as he left hospital after prostate surgery, the Baron said:

"It's not only completely wrong to make such a suggestion, it's also quite offensive." "As I have already stated, on both occasions Mr Gaddafi raised the issue of the Libyan prisoner in Scotland's release as all representatives of the Libyan government do. "They had the same response from me as they would have had from any other member of the government. "The issue of the prisoner's release was entirely a matter for the Scottish justice minister. That is how it was left, that is how it was well understood." He said it was a matter devolved to Scotland and there was "no agreement between the Libyan government and the British government". "It has been a matter entirely for the Scottish justice minister to exercise his discretion."

I think the Baron doth protest too much.

Mandleson in the Guardian


Patrick Harvie MSP co-convenor of the Scottish Green Party, today backed calls for a full public inquiry into the conviction as well as the release of convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi.