Sunday, September 13, 2009

Grim denouement of Al-Megrahi episode

The brother of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi says he ('the Lockerbie bomber') is on the "brink of death". Reports say his health has deteriorated "markedly" in the last few days. I take no pleasure whatsoever in that. However, in a grim way it tends to support the rationale behind the man's release.

I suspect that there were doubts in many people's minds as to whether Al Megrahi had pulled a fast one and would live for quite a long time in Libya. (He looked reasonably chipper coming off the plane in Tripoli and chatting with Colonel Gaddafi.) THose doubts may have added heat to the furore surrounding his release.

So these reports tend to dispel those doubts. The fact that his death may, it seems, come within a few days or weeks, will tend to support the judgment behind the release on compassionate grounds.

Again, it's a very grim thought, and I take no pleasure in it, but his death may well kill much of the controversy.

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