Report that casts doubt over Lockerbie trial verdict to be published

Thursday, 28 July 2011 23:20
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The Scottish government have announced that the report that raised doubts over the safety of the conviction of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi is to be made public.

First Minister Alex Salmond has confirmed his intention to introduce new legislation that will allow the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (SCCRC) to publish its findings.

Mr Megrahi dropped his appeal before justice secretary Kenny MacAskill decided to release him on compassionate grounds almost two years ago.

Speaking yesterday the First Minister said: "I intend to publish in full the findings of the SCCRC. It hasn't been done to date because under the current law you have to have an agreement from all parties before you can publish the full statement. It hasn't been possible to secure the agreement from all parties and therefore the statement is in limbo.

"However, we believe we can change the law so that the matter can be published under the full discretion of the SCCRC, and that is what we intend to do."

Comments  

 
# Barontorc 2011-07-29 01:36
Go for it Scotland - we have been traduced by these nonentities long enough!
 
 
# Robert Louis 2011-07-29 05:23
Good.

This report needs published, and if it cast doubt on Megrahi's conviction, so be it. London Tories and London Labour won't be pleased.

Interesting times.
 
 
# clootie 2011-07-29 05:54
At long last! However I bet it doesn't get any print or TV coverage. I have now seen a couple of European documentries which completely discredit the evidence and trial procedures without a mention in the UK news media.
 
 
# Jim Johnston 2011-07-29 07:06
The Aljazera documentary said it all.
It's a shame the Scottish Government have to change laws to allow the people to se the report for themselves.

It will no doubt be a "game changer" as the say when the known facts come out in full.
 
 
# UpSpake 2011-07-29 07:36
It's not Megraghi that's the issue, he was nothing more than a patsy that was never supposed to be convicted since there was no evidence. What emerged was the flimsiest of circumstantail evidence which any jury would never have convicted on. But hold on, there was no jury?.
 
 
# cynicalHighlander 2011-07-29 08:02
Radio Scotland's Shereen on al-Megrahi release on call Kaye.
 
 
# gus1940 2011-07-29 08:19
Unsurprisingly EBC Weegie is in full flow of its usual hysterical anti-SNP rantings over Megrahi's release.

Funnily enough EBC London desn't seem to be particularly interested.

Still, it gives Elmer Fudd and the other Unionist Vultures another chance to spread their wings and shout about the 'regrettable' fact that a terminally ill innocent man has failed to die.
 
 
# Lucky Tattie 2011-07-29 08:32
Started to listen to Shereen but gave up due to adverse effect on my blood pressure! The usual guff from the greyman, the usual disingeniuos use of language from the BBC that megrahi is "still going strong" and is front and center "leading the cheerleading" despite the fact that you have to look hard to spot him - that frail bloke in a wheelchair with an oxygen mask on. No point in phoning in as the first two calls were "disgusted" followed by "devastated". Let's hope that a new enquiry looks at all the evidence at settles this issue once and for all then the BBC Scotland will be forced to find another issue to satisfy their need to bash the SNP.
 
 
# barcelona 2011-07-29 17:28
Another unbalanced prog coming on top of the disgraceful TV one about Sheridan followed by the 'selective editing' of Salmond/Swinney and then the McCoist affair, though the BBC had to jump to it there because it involved football. It is clear that those in charge of BBC Scotland have no intention of striving for a balanced approach.

I certainly didn't expect much from the hesitant Shereen on 'Call Kaye' as, not for the first time, she seemed out of her depth, but what did surprise me was the aggressive manner of McWhirter as he tried to shout down a contributer.

I now must really give up on BBC Scotland - radio and tv.
 
 
# Gaavster 2011-07-29 08:50
The 'silent' majority has been wheeled out again...

Jack from Cumnock
The Grey man

What a joke of a 'National' broadcaster that we have...

Something needs to be done about them and needs to be done soon
 
 
# Arbroath1320 2011-07-29 09:32
Yee Hah! :D

The truth will come out at last!

Not before time!

More power to your elbow Alex!

Let's hope that the required change to the law will be done in double quick time. I look forward to the immanent and twisting U-Turning of our unionist "friends".

Quote:
At long last! However I bet it doesn't get any print or TV coverage.



I think you could very well be right here clootie. There is something in the air and it stinks! Methinks neither the MSM or our beloved Westminster politicians will be shouting just so loudly once these papers are released! :D
 
 
# Edulis 2011-07-29 11:12
And pray tell me who are the third parties? They wouldn't be the Westminster Government and the CIA by any chance would they?
 
 
# Fungus 2011-07-29 11:41
At last, I hope ermine arses are twitching now they realise we won't take it lying down any more.

EDIT: Just realised they are twitching hence Hague with his attack on Scots Law and the EBC being ordered to start down the Megrahi line again.
 
 
# Vincent McDee 2011-07-29 12:23
Fungus, I think is about time we stop calling the arses "ermine" and refer to them by their proper terms: "skunk" and "skunked".

Is more fitting.
 
 
# EdinScot 2011-07-29 12:03
Salmond is starting as he means to go on, obviously AS sees this as the right thing to do and clearly he has nothing to hide. That he is now taking the game to the Unionists shows us how the tables have turned on this matter.

Westminster are up to their necks in it, some kind of bug will be spreading down there. Its called squeaky bum syndrome. The way Labour and the Tories pursued the SNP over this with their media in tow, they really thought this would kill the SNP off and have the public turn against them. Since the May 6th landslide this has shaken the Unionists to the core, make no mistake and the last thing they will want is any more revelations that will hurt them.

Good news indeed.
 
 
# Mei 2011-07-29 17:55
Aye, false evidence fabricated by the FBI.
 
 
# Robabody 2011-07-29 20:03
What Mei, you don't mean the one square inch of timer mechanism (unburnt) found in a near Lockerbie do you?
 
 
# Fungus 2011-07-29 19:15
And not a mention of, what in any other country would surely be a big story, this on the EBC.

Reporting Jockland did, however, manage to squeeze in Gordon Mathieson blaming the failure of the Glasgow to put on a decent Hogmanay party to be caused by 'massive spending cuts from the Scottish government".
 
 
# Arbroath1320 2011-07-29 19:25
I wonder what level of accurate response we would get if ALL M.P.'s at Westminster were sent copies of the programme aired on Al Jazeera earlier this year about al Megrahi.

english.aljazeera.net/.../...

Not only should they be sent copies of this very interesting programme but they should also be asked a whole series of questions relating to the numerous points raised in the programme.

If the M.P.'s were to be sent copies and questions I very much doubt that we would get many intelligent answers.

When I said all M.P.'s should receive these videos I did of course include those M.P.'s who are never actually present at Westminster.

Yes Mr. Brown I do indeed mean you!
 
 
# oldnat 2011-07-29 20:28
Still some ifs and buts, obviously.

"we believe we can change the law"

I wonder if that relates to some aspect of a reserved power, or a human rights issue?

Those are the only two things that I can think of that would affect the Scottish Parliament's freedom to change the law.
 
 
# enneffess 2011-07-29 20:38
Politically this is a highly risky move, since the SCCRC is supposed to be fully independent of the Scottish Government, and it is reponsible to the Scottish Parliament.

So if Salmond wants to change the law, he will be removing the SCCRC's independence, which leaves it open to abuse in the future.

This will come across as political interference. I don't think it is worth the risk.
 
 
# Jimbo 2011-07-29 22:54
It's sad we live in a country where you have to pass a law in order to allow the public to be told the truth.
 
 
# sneckedagain 2011-07-29 23:15
enneffess

Parliament makes all the laws and this is another case of it doing so I don't follow your point.
The judiciary implements the laws agreed in Parliament without any interference from Parliament on the implementation.
 

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