US paid reward to Lockerbie witness, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi papers claim

[Thickasabrick]

Source: Guardian, UK

Two key figures in the conviction of the Lockerbie bomber were secretly given rewards of up to $3m (£1.9m) in a deal discussed by Scottish detectives and the US government, according to legal papers released today.

The claims about the payments were revealed in a dossier of evidence that was intended to be used in an appeal by Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, the Libyan convicted of murdering 270 people in the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 in 1988.

Megrahi abandoned his appeal last month after the Libyan and Scottish governments struck a deal to free him on compassionate grounds because he is terminally ill with prostate cancer. Now in hospital in Tripoli, Megrahi said he wanted the public to see the evidence which he claims would have cleared him.

"I continue to protest my innocence – how could I fail to do so?," he said. "I have no desire to add to the upset of many people I know are profoundly affected by what happened in Lockerbie. My intention is only for the truth to be made known."

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/oct/02/lockerbie-documents-witness-megrahi

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Well, this is embarassing...but not really surprising.

[RaleighNCDUer]

1. Not surprising, but it won't matter to those who are outraged by

his compassionate release.

Never mind that he was probably innocent to begin with.

[Berry Cool]

3. Let's just wait until all the information is in, shall we?

Besides, I believe the "compassionate release" excuse was bullshit. He was released for oil. Nothing else.

Now, at least if he turns out NOT to be guilty, it doesn't have to burn in my gut that he got a hero's welcome.

In the meantime, all the dead of Lockerbie are still dead, and no justice done. If he turns out to have been wrongly convicted, that will only be even more true.

[ro1942]

6. How many a dead in Iraq who paying for that

[DerekJ]

2. What does that mean? Why would they pay money to the witnesses?

[Thickasabrick]

4. Just guessing here..........to influence the outcome. nt

[harmonicon]

5. naw......

no way.... umm... it must have been because.... umm.... I'll get back to you.

[Thickasabrick]

7. LOL....I won't hold my breath. nt

[AntiFascist]

8. Not surprising?

How many people even have a clue as to what the Lockerbie bombing may have been really all about? Here's a clue, do a search on McKee+Lockerbie.

What was inside McKee's suitcase?

http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?menu=c10400&no=384533&rel_no=1&back_url=

"But it is in fact indisputable that one of McKee's two pieces of luggage were tampered with by a third party.

The suitcase was found on Dec. 30 and not entered in the system before Jan. 5. The suitcase was examined by RARDE scientist Dr Hayes on Jan. 16, 1989.

During cross examination by Fimah lawyer Keen, Dr Hayes admitted that the inside of the suitcase could not have been the original content."

[Thickasabrick]

9. I went to the link but was wondering if you could give me a quick

synopsis about what you think it was really about. I am the first to admit, I do not know as much about this incident as I should.

Edited to add:

CIA cover-up? I've been googling - had no idea - thanks, will keep googling.

[AntiFascist]

14. In a nutshell...

McKee uncovered information about a heroin smuggling ring with connections to the CIA. The danger was that this could have reopened the Iran-Contra scandal and the underlying corruption. McKee had prepared a report, was flying back to the US and was prepared to go straight to the DOJ. McKee's mother (who feels that her son was the reason for the bombing) and others have come forward with some of this, even making it into the MSM.

This webpage seems to be very thorough, but I haven't reviewed all of it for accuracy:

http://www.newsmakingnews.com/lockerbie13000.htm

[JackRiddler]

10. Evidence of a CIA frame job on Megrahi has been unravelling for many years.

Here are a couple of threads from Oct 2007:

Revealed: CIA offered $2m to Lockerbie witness and brother
"The CIA offered $2m (£1m) to the Crown's key witness in the Lockerbie trial and his brother, sources close to the case have told The Herald.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1980744#1987196

So, how have they managed to cover up the Lockerbie frame-up for 17 years? (Now 19!)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=125x177149


Here's the sequence of the major public events in this case:

1) Vincennes downs Iranian airbus (July 1988)

2) Lockerbie crash of Pan Am 103 (Dec. 1988)

3) Incriminating circuit board "found." (Apr. 1989 or sometime in 1990, depending on account)

4) U.S. officials insinuate Syria the terror-sponsor state did it as contracter for Iran. (until Aug 1990)

5) Iraq invades Kuwait. (Aug 1990)

6) U.S. switches to open accusation against Libya. (Fall 1990)

7) Bush Sr. visits Assad Sr. to recruit him for Gulf War.

8) Sanctions on Libya for more than decade result in billions of dollars of economic damage.

9) Libya caves, produces 2 suspects for Scottish trial (held in Netherlands).

10) One acquittal. One conviction. Libya pays ransom to lift sanctions, signs confession, even as Gaddafi continues to deny the verdict.

11) After 9/11, Libya and U.S. reconcile, Gaddafi takes a moral membership in the GWoT, practically makes love to Bush Jr.

12) 15 years later, Scottish police chief says CIA planted circuit board!

13) Scottish review board orders re-trial of convict.

14) During re-trial motions, diagnosis that Megrahi is dying. He is released for humanitarian reasons, which also serves to avoid a verdict in the re-trial.

I think any U.S. credibility in making a case against Libya vanished somewhere between 6 and 7. And when you get the Scottish police chief making such claims, the case is pretty messed up.

[Thickasabrick]

12. OMG....Thank you for all the references and the links. I now feel

like I have been living in a hole. I wonder if St. Ronnie knew about this since it was on his watch?

[daleo]

13. Nice timeline

It makes you think.

[Nihil]

17. Kick for an interesting summary.

Too late to rec the thread but hope that this will reach a few more people.

:thumbsup:

[winyanstaz]

11. Isnt it concidered illegal to pay a witness? sheesh....

the deeper we look the more rotten this whole mess seems to be.

[Wilms]

15. The more lies we acknowledge, the more we wonder how many more there are.

Perhaps that, for too many, is the royal road to denial.

Thanks for posting.

[defendandprotect]

16. k i c k