Libya, justice and a few quid.

[Reginald]

The Libyan Prime Minister is now saying that they were not responsible for the Lockerbie bombing.

The US is demanding a retraction, the UK a clarification.

Given the amount of compensation paid, and how this would be far outweighed by the benefits to Libya of sanctions being lifted do you think that this is a case of "say anything, pay anything" for a peaceful life for Libya?

If the Libyans did not do it, then their action in falsely accepting responsibility has allowed the true culprits to avoid capture. I can understand the feelings expressed by relatives of victims of the Lockerbie bombing, that this comment made by the Libyan PM somewhat undermines what sense of justice they had.

[Soapy Sam]

Reg- Look at some of the things our government representatives say. And they were elected by poular vote after being selected by party committees who presumably checked to see they didn't drag their knuckles as they walked.

Now think about how Libyan politicians are selected. Have you the slightest idea?

Neither have they.

Consider the possibility that Libyan politicians are at least as stupid as western ones.

They offered blood money. Old Arab custom.
We accepted it. Old western one.

What they say now counts for nothing.

[Dids]

The way I see it, is that Libya, as part of the deal for handing over the suspects for trial a few years back, was that they would accept liability for any verdict reached by the court in return for sanction lifting, or whateever, which they have done by paying the compensation claim.

However, they do not actually accept the verdict itself, which, from the coverage I have read (mostly in Private Eye), is a valid conclusion, as the judges accepted a lot of circumstantial (and just plain wrong) evidence. However, even an appeal against the verdict was thrown out, but for it not to be thrown out would have required other judges to say the first three judges completely failed in their duties.

I have also read that the general opinion of the US families is that they accept the "Libya did it" conclusion, but the UK families never really did and still do not.

On the other hand, the Libyans also denying they had anything to do with the shooting of a PC a few years before that does not ring true with me.