To
Scottish Press Association.
I understand that Mr Blair discussed the question of the repatriation of
Libyan nationals from the
Incredibly it seems (from a number
10 spokesperson today) that we are being asked to believe that this concerns
other Libyan nationals, but not Megrahi.
Who could believe that? Not
even a spin doctor, surely
No mention of any discussion was
given to us the Lockerbie relatives. It was not until Alex Salmond
raised the issue in Holyrood that we heard anything
about it. Mr Salmond should
indeed remain indignant:
Mr Blair is aware that a significant number of his citizens
were brutally murdered in 1988 at Lockerbie in what remains to this day the
largest terrorist outrage to occur in the
In 1990, by an official in
President Bush (Snr's) inquiry into the atrocity, we
were told, on a visit to the
It seems that remains true today.
Why is that? Must we go to the European Courts for our right to know?
It is known that Mr Megrahi is pining for his
family, and speaking personally as someone who does not believe that the
verdict should ever have been reached, I would welcome his repatriation, for
humanitarian reasons.
Both the Libyan regime and Mr Megrahi have assured me that
they would pursue an overturning of the verdict no matter where Mr Megrahi was imprisoned. If that is true, then our search for the truth should not
be impeded by his repatriation.
However, as Downing Street have
commented today, the matter is sub judice awaiting
the decision of the SCCRC (Scottish Criminal Case Review Commission) which,
after more than three years, is at last due by the end of this month. It
seems prudent to wait for that announcement before considering the matter
further.
Dr Jim Swire,
father of Flora, murdered at Lockerbie.
Dr Jim Swire
(jim@swirefamily.net)