U.S. presidential candidate Romney calls on Libyan rebels to extradite Lockerbie bomber

[News_Editor]

U.S. presidential candidate Romney calls on Libyan rebels to extradite Lockerbie bomber

2011-08-23 00:23:17 GMT+7 (ICT)

BOSTON (BNO NEWS) -- U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Monday called upon Libya's Interim Transitional National Council (NTC) to arrest and extradite the man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing.

Romney, a former governor of Massachusetts and a Republican candidate during the U.S. presidential elections in November 2012, made the remarks as the regime of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi appeared to have entered its final hour.

"The world is about to be rid of Muammar Gaddafi, the brutal tyrant who terrorized the Libyan people," Romney said on Monday. "It is my hope that Libya will now move toward a representative form of government that supports freedom, human rights, and the rule of law."

Romney added: "As a first step, I call on this new government to arrest and extradite the mastermind behind the bombing of Pan Am 103, Abdelbaset Mohmed Ali al-Megrahi, so justice can finally be done."

Megrahi was convicted and sentenced to life in prison in 2001 for carrying out the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, which crashed in the Scottish town of Lockerbie on December 21, 1988, killing 270 people. He was released in August 2009 from a Scottish prison on 'compassionate grounds' after doctors claimed he had only several months to live.

But the decision to release Megrahi was met with anger in the United States, the United Kingdom, and other countries, while celebrations broke out in Libya when Megrahi returned to live there.

British Member of Parliament (MP) Robert Halfon also told the UK's Press Association (PA) on Monday that Megrahi should be brought back to Britain if Gaddafi's regime falls. "We should make every effort to bring him back so he can spend the rest of his time in prison where he belongs," Halfton said. "Or he should spend the rest of his life in a Libyan jail, or be extradited to the U.S."

Last week, a spokesman for Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond again defended the decision to release Megrahi, saying it was done on compassionate grounds alone and not influenced by politics. "Whether people support or oppose the decision, it was made following the due process of Scots law, we stand by it, and al-Megrahi is dying of terminal prostate cancer," the spokesman said.

Earlier this year, former Libyan Justice Minister Mustafa Mohamed Abud Al Jeleil told Swedish newspaper Expressen that he had evidence that Gaddafi was the person who gave the order to bomb Pan Am Flight 103, which was on a daily scheduled transatlantic flight from London Heathrow Airport to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.

"I have evidence that Gaddafi ordered the Lockerbie bombing," Al-Jleil was cited as saying by Expressen in February, without giving other details. "To hide this, he did everything in his power to get Megrahi back from Scotland."

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-08-23

[koheesti]

Good luck.

[Steely Dan]

Killing infidels does not actually have any sanction prescribed in Sharia law, I think this is a good one to push to see exactly which way the wind is blowing - I think this is why the Republicans would be well advised to push this issue very hard indeed.

[Jingthing]

A new Libyan rebel government isn't even in place yet! Quadaffi is STILL in Libya. Fighters there are dying right now. And yet this two faced chameleon republican president wanna be goes GRANDSTANDING to ALREADY make demands! It's obvious what he is doing. NATO and Obama and mostly the Libyan rebels themselves deserve the credit, and this central casting faux president is trying to steal the show. The implication is that Obama is "weak" and would not demand the thing he is demanding at the proper time and place. I find this political game Romney is playing with this totally disgusting.

Edited August 23, 2011 by Jingthing

[Steely Dan]

A new Libyan rebel government isn't even in place yet! Quadaffi is STILL in Libya. Fighters there are dying right now. And yet this two faced chameleon republican president wanna be goes GRANDSTANDING to ALREADY make demands! It's obvious what he is doing. NATO and Obama and mostly the Libyan rebels themselves deserve the credit, and this central casting faux president is trying to steal the show. The implication is that Obama is "weak" and would not demand the thing he is demanding at the proper time and place. I find this political game Romney is playing with this totally disgusting.

"NATO and Obama and mostly the Libyan rebels themselves deserve the credit"

You make it sound like they are all on the same side.

[Jingthing]

"NATO and Obama and mostly the Libyan rebels themselves deserve the credit"

You make it sound like they are all on the same side.

No I don't. The point is that Europe and America supported the rebels in their war to overthrow Quadaffi. The rebels will have their own government and outside countries will continue to offer support, if they want it.

[Steely Dan]

"NATO and Obama and mostly the Libyan rebels themselves deserve the credit"

You make it sound like they are all on the same side.

No I don't. The point is that Europe and America supported the rebels in their war to overthrow Quadaffi. The rebels will have their own government and outside countries will continue to offer support, if they want it.

I'm pretty sure outside Countries will offer support, but not the ones some might have hoped for.

[flying]

The rebels will have their own government

Oh brother

“Abdel-Hakim al-Hasidi, the Libyan rebel leader, has said jihadists who fought against allied troops in Iraq are on the front lines of the battle against Muammar Gaddafi’s regime. . . . Earlier this month, al-Qaeda issued a call for supporters to back the Libyan rebellion, which it said would lead to the imposition of “the stage of Islam” in the country.”

Edited August 23, 2011 by flying

[Jingthing]

Nobody knows how this will turn out for Libya. I didn't ever say it was going to be a desirable government either for the west or for the majority of the Libyan people. It will be a struggle and it will not be a Quadaffi regime. In any case, for the west to make demands on a government that doesn't even exist yet is bullying imperialism to an offensive extreme, and will do nothing at all to influence or support more moderate factions in Libya. Romney was VERY irresponsible bringing this up now at such a delicate moment in history.

Edited August 23, 2011 by Jingthing

[Scott]

Has somebody actually filed papers for extradition or is this just political posturing?

Can you extradite someone for a crime they have already served time for and been released by a court?

[Jingthing]

Romney doesn't even have any political office now. He can't file papers to catch a stray dog.

He's just trying to steal the political spotlight from the actual players now.

But the world does take the words of serious presidential contenders seriously, so that's why I think he is being irresponsible.

Edited August 23, 2011 by Jingthing

[Scott]

Thanks JT, but I am still wondering if legally they can call for the extradition of someone who has served his time and been released--regardless of the grounds.

[Wallaby]

Thanks JT, but I am still wondering if legally they can call for the extradition of someone who has served his time and been released--regardless of the grounds.

Under certain circumstances they can. If the US can prove a link between the bombing and the US ie: he was in the US when he planned it. Simply killing US citizens isn't enough. We had a US citizen on honeymoon in oz charged with murder but the prosecution accepted a guilty plea of manslaughter. Alabama didn't think he got enough time at Her Majesty's pleasure so at the end of his sentence here he was extradited to face a murder charge there. For that to happen they must prove he dreamt up the whole idea whilst in the US ie: taking out life insurance on his wife.

Story here: http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/honeymoon-killer-gabe-watson-high-profile-defence-attorneys/story-e6freoof-1225963503592

Another barrier to his extradition will be that he committed the offences before the Patriot Act became law so they would have to find a law available at the time of the crime to charge him with.

Perhaps another barrier is that there is already evidence that he is on his last legs.

In my view, it's just political grandstanding.

[Steely Dan]

Thanks JT, but I am still wondering if legally they can call for the extradition of someone who has served his time and been released--regardless of the grounds.

The 'grounds' were as I recall 'humanitarian' due to ill health for which you can read furthered British business interests. I know the U.S was rightly annoyed by his release and since release I seem to recall he made a miraculous recovery.

[Wallaby]

Does Iran have an extradition treaty with the US?

[rgs2001uk]

Thanks JT, but I am still wondering if legally they can call for the extradition of someone who has served his time and been released--regardless of the grounds.

The 'grounds' were as I recall 'humanitarian' due to ill health for which you can read furthered British business interests. I know the U.S was rightly annoyed by his release and since release I seem to recall he made a miraculous recovery.

The miraculous recovery you refer to may be due to the fact he is now being given drugs to keep him alive that were not available to him in the UK.

I wonder why the UK gov't wanted shot of him, was it due to the fact they didnt want an appeal to be heard that may well have cleared him?

[Scott]

Does Iran have an extradition treaty with the US?

Do you mean Libya?

[snarky66]

Obama's little military adventure. A completely lawless administration.

[zydeco]

"NATO and Obama and mostly the Libyan rebels themselves deserve the credit"

You make it sound like they are all on the same side.

No I don't. The point is that Europe and America supported the rebels in their war to overthrow Quadaffi. The rebels will have their own government and outside countries will continue to offer support, if they want it.

Just who are "the rebels"?

[koheesti]

Romney doesn't even have any political office now. He can't file papers to catch a stray dog.

He's just trying to steal the political spotlight from the actual players now.

But the world does take the words of serious presidential contenders seriously, so that's why I think he is being irresponsible.

He's a contender in the Republican Party Primary which doesn't start for what, another 4 months? Then another 10 months until the general election? If this were Aug 2012 and as the Rep nominee for President he made some crazy statement THEN it might be irresponsible. But now, so early on, it isn't.

Edited August 23, 2011 by koheesti

[coma]

Two words for you Mitt : Double Jeopardy.

[Ulysses G.]

I'm pretty sure that only applies if he was tried by an American court.

[coma]

"NATO and Obama and mostly the Libyan rebels themselves deserve the credit"

You make it sound like they are all on the same side.

No I don't. The point is that Europe and America supported the rebels in their war to overthrow Quadaffi. The rebels will have their own government and outside countries will continue to offer support, if they want it.

Just who are "the rebels"?

In different circumstances some 'Western Countries' would classify the rebels as terrorist. However in this case they were doing the dirty work for said countries so I guess they would call them freedom fighters. Hypocritical isn't it?

Soon the new regime in Libya will turn on and bite the hand that has been feeding it of late. Remember at the end of the day we ,in the west, are all infidels.

[dean999]

"NATO and Obama and mostly the Libyan rebels themselves deserve the credit"

You make it sound like they are all on the same side.

No I don't. The point is that Europe and America supported the rebels in their war to overthrow Quadaffi. The rebels will have their own government and outside countries will continue to offer support, if they want it.

Just who are "the rebels"?

In different circumstances some 'Western Countries' would classify the rebels as terrorist. However in this case they were doing the dirty work for said countries so I guess they would call them freedom fighters. Hypocritical isn't it?

Soon the new regime in Libya will turn on and bite the hand that has been feeding it of late. Remember at the end of the day we ,in the west, are all infidels.

And all the weapons that have been coming in through the back door to help them, will be turned on us or given to al qaeda. Look at what happened with Afghan.

[chuckd]

It seems Romney isn't the only two faced chameleon political wannabe that is grandstanding and making demands....

_______________________________________________________

Another Lockerbie trial? Gadhafi’s downfall spurs new calls for bomber’s extradition

By Laura Rozen | The Envoy – 11 hrs ago

From the article:

"Last month, Megrahi--apparently very much alive--was seen on video attending a pro-Gadhafi rally in Tripoli (see the photo on the top right)."The release of al-Megrahi was a total miscarriage of justice," said Kristin Gillibrand, a Democratic senator from New York, in a statement Monday. "Seeing him participate in good health at a pro-Gadhafi rally recently was another slap in the face not just for the families of the Lockerbie victims, but for all Americans and all nations of the world who are committed to bringing terrorists to justice."

Libya's transitional government "should immediately seek justice and hold this terrorist accountable by sending him back to prison," Gillibrand continued.

Her call was echoed by other lawmakers from the New York and New Jersey delegations. (Many of those killed in the 1988 terrorist act were study abroad students originally from the New York and New Jersey area.)"

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/envoy/another-lockerbie-trial-fall-gadhafi-leads-politicians-call-211120538.html

[johna]

Megrahi's defense team won an appeal based on new evidence that made his original conviction unsafe.

A part of the deal releasing Megrahi was that he would drop the appeal process.

A lot of people familiar with this new evidence believe Megrahi innocent including some family members of the victims.

So the question is does Scotland want to go through a new trial that many believe will result in acquittal.

[Credo]

Remind me not to vote for any of these people. Their anger should be directed at the Scottish deal makers who pulled this off. Pretty easy to be seeking the blood of a sick man who is a supporter of a crumbling government and impotent dictator.

The case was adjudicated in Scotland. Rightly or wrongly, he was released. I think the US has bigger problems for them to tackle.

[coma]

Remind me not to vote for any of these people. Their anger should be directed at the Scottish deal makers who pulled this off. Pretty easy to be seeking the blood of a sick man who is a supporter of a crumbling government and impotent dictator.

The case was adjudicated in Scotland. Rightly or wrongly, he was released. I think the US has bigger problems for them to tackle.

Well said.

[softgeorge]

Why on earth do the bloody yanks want him extradited to the U.S. He has already been arrested, put on trail, imprisoned and then released. How on gods earth do the Americans think they can arrest him again, put him on trial and punish him for the 2nd time for the same offence. What then every other country lining up to arrest and punish him a 3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th time.

[softgeorge]

"NATO and Obama and mostly the Libyan rebels themselves deserve the credit"

You make it sound like they are all on the same side.

No I don't. The point is that Europe and America supported the rebels in their war to overthrow Quadaffi. The rebels will have their own government and outside countries will continue to offer support, if they want it.

Just who are "the rebels"?

them other ones.......