Released on compassionate grounds!?!?!?!??!

[Arnold.J.Rimmer]

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
--Mahatma Gandhi

[flammableBen]

To be honest all the political possibly innocent stuff is a bit immaterial to me, I basically think the opposite of DRS, that as long as he isn't a threat to anybody and is definitely going to die then he should be let out for his last few weeks whatever.

[Doore]

I think there are a lot of different issues in debate here.  There has been a lot of "did he think of the victims and their families" stuff on here.  What is worth noting is that quite a few of the victims families, having spent many years investigating the case, don't believe that this man is guilty.  Now he has had to stop his appeal, they are one step further away from following up their beliefs.  I don't think those families would take much comfort from a man they believe to be innocent dying in a cell while they are denied the opportunity to find out more.

If he is guilty, then we are looking at a debate over what imprisonment is supposed to achieve.  If it is simple revenge, then yes, he should die in prison.  If its protecting the public, then surely a man with terminal cancer poses no threat.  If its rehabilitation, then its too late for that anyway - the man has three months to live.

[Fred Elliot]

I think there are a lot of different issues in debate here.  There has been a lot of "did he think of the victims and their families" stuff on here.  What is worth noting is that quite a few of the victims families, having spent many years investigating the case, don't believe that this man is guilty.  Now he has had to stop his appeal, they are one step further away from following up their beliefs.  I don't think those families would take much comfort from a man they believe to be innocent dying in a cell while they are denied the opportunity to find out more.

If he is guilty, then we are looking at a debate over what imprisonment is supposed to achieve.  If it is simple revenge, then yes, he should die in prison.  If its protecting the public, then surely a man with terminal cancer poses no threat.  If its rehabilitation, then its too late for that anyway - the man has three months to live.

spot on post

[Hammer]

Without examining any element of guilt or, indeed the right of appeal, compare this situation with that of Ronnie Biggs. Did we see people dancing in the streets of East London ? No, because compassion was allowed and the dignity of it was accepted. A massive balls-up in this case, yet I feel there is more to this than meets the eye.

[Melksham Red]

It would be interesting to know whether your common rapist or murderer gets shown the same compassion when he or she has a terminal illness. I fucking hope not. The fact is this man was convicted of the offence and should serve the full time as punishment for that crime. As should all criminals.

[Don Rogers Shop]

Agree with that. I believe rehab of prisoners is very important but AFTER they have served their sentence. Ronnie Biggs didn't even kill anyone but is only allowed out under supervision. Obviously this is a complex case but the fact is he was found guilty.

[sheepshagger]

You don't just get randomly charged and found guilty of something on this level without being involved in it somehow. The  point is though no matter what appeal or whether people think he didn't do it should not come into it,the scottish goverment have let someone they found guilty of a terrible crime free so he can spend his final days with his family.I personally think that is wrong.

Sorry DRS - I had to almost laugh out loud at that comment !!

Try telling that to the Birmingham 6 or the Guildford 4 ?  Absolutely nothing to do with either bombings - but coz they were Irish (basically the ONLY reason they were picked up) they were arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment !!

In the case of the Guildford 4 the judge actually said he regretted the fact that they were not charged with Treason - as this would have allowed him to sentence them to death !!!

I don't know much about the Lockerbie bombings, but I do know that completely innocent people can be sent down for things - as long as it suits the authorities to get a conviction.....

[Don Rogers Shop]

Of course you have exeptions my comment was a bit naive obviously but my main point stands that they have released what they say is a guilty man.

[nevillew]

Great post there.

But I wonder whether there is another reason for the release ? Am hoping we are getting something phenomenal back from the Libyans in return.

Like them handing over the murderer of Wpc Yvonne Fletcher for example ?

[yeo]

Im not bothered either way,but I like that its annoyed the Americans. So yay..

[donkey]

Without examining any element of guilt or, indeed the right of appeal, compare this situation with that of Ronnie Biggs. Did we see people dancing in the streets of East London ? No, because compassion was allowed and the dignity of it was accepted. A massive balls-up in this case, yet I feel there is more to this than meets the eye.

Yeah, I feel sure that in about six months to a year, Libya will help the 'war on terror' in some way...but of course a way in which it will look like the events are totally unconnected.  See the film 13 Days (about Cuban Missile Crisis) for an example of how this works (and to watch a good film).  Quid pro quo (sp?)

[Spencer_White]

He was treated like a fucking hero on his return. A fucking hero!!!!!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8213210.stm

It seems most likely that these blokes were minnows who didnt know all that much about the Libyan terrorist programs of the 1980's. But....

It makes me SICK that we get into bed with these sorts of people for the sake of oil. The sooner the arabs run out of the stuff the better. They can go back to their middle aged ways in the desert and shag camels. The last muslim/arab contribution to world science/culture was numerals 600 years ago. Without oil they would be as poor as the poorest parts of Africa, they make no contribution to anyone apart from oil. Fucking scum.

[leefer]

Sorry DRS - I had to almost laugh out loud at that comment !!

Try telling that to the Birmingham 6 or the Guildford 4 ?  Absolutely nothing to do with either bombings - but coz they were Irish (basically the ONLY reason they were picked up) they were arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment !!

In the case of the Guildford 4 the judge actually said he regretted the fact that they were not charged with Treason - as this would have allowed him to sentence them to death !!!

I don't know much about the Lockerbie bombings, but I do know that completely innocent people can be sent down for things - as long as it suits the authorities to get a conviction.....

The Guildford Four were all members of the IRA fact....sorry no sympathy for me,like saying ime a member of the NF and fully supported the fact that they went round kickink the fuck out of anyone black...yes they were innocent of the bombings but the fact they all were IRA  supporters...well you pay yer money and take your choice..my choice is that anyone who supports a party that kills innocent folk deserve locking up...the IRA had lots of chances to tell the police who the real culprits were...they decided to let four of there members take the wrap......i feel sorry for the innocent of Guildford...not them.

[pauld]

The Guildford Four were all members of the IRA fact.

Erm, no it's not. Completely untrue, the strongest link any of them had was one admitted (as opposed to "had confession beaten out of him") to involvement in riots in Belfast in the 70s. Which would cover pretty much a sizable chunk of the Irish Catholic population of Belfast of that generation