Article

2010-07-15 Britain

BP Admits It Lobbied British for Libyan Prisoner Transfer

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Posted by tu3031 2010-07-15 16:04|| || Front Page|| [8 views ] Top

#1 Karma?

Posted by Bulldog 2010-07-15 17:11|| 2010-07-15 17:11|| Front Page Top

#2 Britains 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 Megrahis 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. Hes been free for 11.

Now Ambassador Sir Nigel Sheinwald is saying freeing the killer was a mistake but theres no way to fix it. He also insists BPs $900 million deal to drill off Libya had nothing to do with Megrahis freedom, even though BP lobbied for Libyan prsioners to be released from Britain.

Here is his statement:

The new British Government is clear that Megrahis release was a mistake. The Prime Ministers 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 Megrahis 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 Megrahis 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|| 2010-07-15 17:21|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2010-07-15 17:41|| Front Page Top

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