Releasing Lockerbie bomber is wrong: Clinton
August 19th, 2009 - 9:49 am ICT by IANSWashington, Aug 19 (DPA) US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said Scotland will be “wrong” to release a Libyan man serving a life sentence in Scotland for the 1988 Lockerbie bombing that killed 270 people.
“It is obviously wrong to release someone who has been in prison based on the evidence about his involvement in such a horrendous crime,” Clinton said Tuesday. “We are still encouraging the Scottish authorities not to do so and hope they will not.”
Reports began emerging last week that a decision to release Abdel Basset al-Megrahi, now 57 and facing terminal cancer, was imminent.
Al-Megrahi was convicted in 2001 of playing a role in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, and received life imprisonment. His supporters in Scotland have called for him to be released and returned to Libya so he can spend his remaining days with his family.
Scottish authorities have refused to confirm any plans to free al-Megrahi. His lawyers announced Tuesday that he has dropped his appeal in the case in a sign that they were expecting him to be released.
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- 1988 Lockerbie bomber al-Megrahi dies in Tripoli - May 20, 2012
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- Britain told US not to intervene in Lockerbie bomber release: Wikileaks - Apr 11, 2011
- Lockerbie bomber who killed 270 is dead - May 20, 2012
- US notified Lockerbie bomber to be released: Report - Aug 20, 2009
- U.S. presidential candidate Romney calls on Libyan rebels to extradite Lockerbie bomber - Aug 23, 2011
- 'Lockerbie bomber close to dying' - Dec 09, 2010
- Scottish officials skeptical about Lockerbie Bomber being close to death - Dec 10, 2010
- Family of Lockerbie bomber refuse to discuss his health - Sep 20, 2010
- Britain advised Libya on Lockerbie bomber's release: WikiLeaks - Feb 01, 2011
- Obama calls release of Lockerbie bomber a 'mistake' - Aug 21, 2009
- US opposes release of Lockerbie bomber - Aug 14, 2009
- Scottish minister stands by decision to free Lockerbie bomber - Aug 19, 2010
Tags: abdel basset, authorities, clinton washington, dpa, hillary clinton, horrendous crime, lawyers, libya, life imprisonment, life sentence, lockerbie bombing, pan am flight 103, pan am flight 103 over lockerbie scotland, secretary of state, terminal cancer, us secretary of state