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| Britain |
| BP Admits It Lobbied British for Libyan Prisoner Transfer |
| 2010-07-15 |
| While seeking a billion dollar oil exploration deal with Libya, BP executives admitted Thursday the company did lobby the British government to enter into a prisoner transfer agreement with the African nation. "BP told the UK government that we were concerned about the slow progress that was being made in concluding a Prisoner Transfer Agreement with Libya," BP said in a statement. "We were aware that this could have a negative impact on UK commercial interests, including the ratification by the Libyan government of BP's exploration agreement." But the petroleum giant claims it never specifically asked Britain to set free Pan Am Flight 103 bomber Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi. "BP was not involved in any discussion with the U.K. government or the Scottish government about the release of al-Megrahi," a BP company spokesman said. He was released on "compassionate" grounds when Scottish authorities said his "terminal" prostate cancer gave the terrorist just three months to live. But a year later Megrahi is free in Libya and the doctor who gave the diagnosis admits the bomber could live 10 or 20 more years -- and that he had been paid by the Libyan government. Numerous U.S. senators, including Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) now suspect Megrahi's release was connected to BP's goal of securing an oil deal with Libya. "This is ugly," said Bert Ammerman, the former head of the Victims of Pan Am Flight 103 group. "It is immoral. It is unethical. It is illegal. And there's no question there is a connection between the BP oil agreement with Libya and the release of al Megrahi." Ammerman added he wants an investigation into what the Obama administration knew about this alleged deal before it happened. Libyan officials have said any oil deal would be connected to a completed prisoner transfer agreement. Al Megrahi was released last year and was greeted by flag waiving crowds when he arrived home. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Wednesday she was reviewing the request by the Senators to investigate the BP oil deal with Libya and any alleged connection to the release of the Flight 103 bomber. Sue Cohen lost her daughter, Theo, in the bombing over Scotland. And she said she's "not surprised" by the revelations about BP's alleged involvement in negotiations over the release of convicted Lockerbie bomber Al-Megrahi. She said she has heard for years that BP had a strong interest in the release, because it would make Libya more receptive to foreign business investment. "There's no question in my mind that BP was involved. The British government was very much influenced by the oil companies, and it's no coincidence that soon after the negotiations BP signed this enormously good deal. This was really a deal for business interests. Western governments seem to be run by one thing now -- the great God money," she said. |
| Posted by:tu3031 |
| #3 So... Did Libya lobby for BP to ruin the gulf? that's the corollary question that isn't spoken. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2010-07-15 17:41 |
| #2 Britain’s ambassador to the United States is admitting is was a mistake to free Lockerbie bomber Abdel Baset Al-Megrahi from Scottish prison last year. That admission comes after a furor of anger whipped up over his release amid revelations that BP got a major oil deal coincident with Megrahi’s release, and that a doctor involved said the terrorist convicted of killing 270 people in 1988 Pan Am bombing could live for a decade. He was released on “compassionate” grounds that he had just three months to live. He’s been free for 11. Now Ambassador Sir Nigel Sheinwald is saying freeing the killer was a mistake — but there’s no way to fix it. He also insists BP’s $900 million deal to drill off Libya had nothing to do with Megrahi’s freedom, even though BP lobbied for Libyan prsioners to be released from Britain. Here is his statement: “The new British Government is clear that Megrahi’s release was a mistake. The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman said today that: “The Prime Minister at the time said that he believed the decision to release Megrahi was wrong, and that he understood the concerns that had been raised about it.” “Claims in the press that Megrahi was released because of an oil deal involving BP, and that the medical evidence used by the Scottish Executive supporting his release was paid for by the Libyan government, are not true. “The British Government deeply regrets the continuing anguish that his release on compassionate grounds has caused the families of Megrahi’s victims in the UK as well as in the US. However under UK law, where Scottish justice issues are devolved to Scotland, it fell solely to the Scottish Executive to consider Megrahi’s case. Under Scottish law, Megrahi was entitled to be considered for release on compassionate grounds. “Whilst we disagreed with the decision to release Megrahi, we have to respect the independence of the process. The Inquiry by the Justice Committee of the Scottish Parliament concluded in February that the Scottish Executive took this decision in good faith, on the basis of the medical evidence available to them at the time, and due process was followed. “We have to accept that the release licence does not provide a mechanism for a person who has been released on compassionate grounds to be returned to prison if they have survived for longer than the period diagnosed by the relevant medical authorities.” Gee...thanks. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2010-07-15 17:21 |
| #1 Karma? |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2010-07-15 17:11 |