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Most Scots say MacAskill wrong on bomber release

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Published Date: 27 August 2009
A POLL today showed a majority of Scots believe justice secretary Kenny MacAskill made the wrong decision in releasing the Lockerbie bomber.
The survey found 43 per cent believed it was right to release Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds, but 51 per cent were against the move.

Pressure increased today on Gordon Brown to disclose details of trade deals negotiated
with Libya after it was reported that three ministers had visited the country in the 15 months leading up to the release of the Lockerbie bomber.

Lord Digby Jones is said to have travelled to Libya as trade minister in May last year to speak to business representatives. Former health minister Dawn Primarolo reportedly had talks with the Libyan prime minister in November last year. And in February, Bill Rammell, then a Foreign Office minister, held discussions with his Libyan counterparts.

Meanwhile, UK Justice Secretary Jack Straw questioned why Mr MacAskill has visited Megrahi in Greenock prison before reaching his decision. He said prisoners had no right to a personal visit.

Mr MacAskill also came under fire after it emerged the medical advice on Megrahi's health came from the Scottish Prison Service's primary care physician rather than a prostate cancer specialist.





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  • Last Updated: 27 August 2009 9:04 AM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Lockerbie
 
1

Gaswork,

Dormanstown 27/08/2009 09:30:14
Scotland have done themselves no favours all around the world people can see this is wrong, with a so called promise of a safer and just system to fight terrorism and his cancer has been the decision of an early release noting more could have been an injustice to the 270 murdered for the sake of good relations with Libya? What cowards with the Labour brown and SNP that try to find any excuse to blacken the names of anyone that apposes there decision, the only thing you need to NO weather British Law or Scottish Law is the Right from Wrong and murder with its Millions spent of tax payers money is wrong I see no man in Scotland that agrees and them! Dirty dealings go on the shame of it all some still making out that they are right, well murder was never right in the beginning I would have gladly put a rope around his neck for the pain for the families and their friends that he has made suffer, fight terrorism don’t make me laugh!!!
2

,

27/08/2009 09:33:01
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
3

dmacmillan,

27/08/2009 09:47:52
"The survey found 43 per cent believed it was right to release Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds, but 51 per cent were against the move"


Like post number 2, I find this "poll" evidence highly suspicious, especially as the Scotsman fail to identify any details of the poll.

Could it be that this is a very small sample taken from the Daily Mail's UK poll?

I think a more meaningful poll would be the online poll on the Dumfries and Galloway Standard.

Although this does not give details of the polling numbers, the ongoing results are very interesting.

To the question: "Do you think the Lockerbie Bomber should have been released from prison?"

87.6% agreed that he should have been released, while only 12.4% were against.

I think the Scotsmand should either publish the details of the poll identified above, or go and do their homework.
4

peskykid,

glasgow 27/08/2009 09:51:23
As much as I don't particularly like these sorts of polls, ie lead-in questions, etc, at first glance I can see that more scots agree with his decision than actually voted for the SNP. And as for gaswork's nonsensical ramble? I gave up reading due to the lack of sense, not to mention punctuation. Big sigh!

ps are we christian or what?
5

Queen D,

27/08/2009 10:10:33
Interesting!
Since most Scots appear to Support the Justice Minister in other NAMED polls.
David Maddox make this up did he?
Or was it just taken from the Labour Party Oress release as usual?
46000 and dropping!
6

hooter,

Brisbane , 27/08/2009 10:23:06
Did anyone ever consider polling the opinion of the
people of Lockerbie.
7

Queen D,

27/08/2009 11:12:47
Hooter , you can bet on it , in their fervour to get someone somewhere to say they did'nt support the release.
The BBBC was advertising for them for goodness sake!
8

BIG EYE,

Paisley 27/08/2009 11:42:16
I can help the poll was taken in the Labour rooms at the Scottish Parliament where Maddox was just visiting.

The overwhelming number of people I have met since the decision was taken, of all political persuasions support the Justice Secretary.
9

steve 1511,

aberdeen 27/08/2009 12:07:23
the hootsman gives oot propaganda on behalf of the lybour sleaze and corruption party led by the eejit broon with the big banana smile on a daily basis,take any poll results they publish and reverse the findings for accuracy
10

Americanbob,

27/08/2009 12:12:48
Since when did Jack Straw become "UK Justice Secretary"?

Has someone forgotten to tell us here in Scotland that devolution has been done away with?
11

alanh,

ek 27/08/2009 12:24:12
"A POLL today showed a majority of Scots believe justice secretary Kenny MacAskill made the wrong decision in releasing the Lockerbie bomber.

The survey found 43 per cent believed it was right to release Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds, but 51 per cent were against the move."

who comissioned this poll? what is the sample size? any chance of a link to it and the question that was asked? Are they talking about the "poll" that was that allowed people to multi vote in it?
12

Linda,

Edinburgh 27/08/2009 12:28:35
Despite the hostile Unionist press over the Megrahi affair, more people still support Alex Salmond as the best Scottish First Minister than
support three opposition party leaders - combined!

Support for Alex Salmond as First Minister was 32%, nearly 3 times higher than that for Ian Gray and Annabel Goldie and over 5 times higher than
Tavish Scott at 6%.

A majority of Liberal Democrats - 57% - think releasing Abdelbasset al-Megrahi was the right decision, as do well over a third of Labour
voters (39%).

Two thirds of those questioned support Kenny MacAskill remaining as Justice Minister regardless of their view of the decision.

And still more people support the SNP in the Scottish constituency vote than any other party.

Strange this newspaper doesn't mention these facts
13

The Rattler,

Scottish Borders 27/08/2009 12:41:21
Strange headline. Given that 51% of Scots were against the move I would have thought it more likely to have a headline such as "Opinion divided over release"
14

Edinburgh 100,

Musselburgh 27/08/2009 12:48:58

#12.

Lynda take of your rose tinted bigoted anti union galsses. The SNP are exactly the same as Lab/Con/Lib, Greens Parties.
The only dierence is that people like you dont actually know it yet or are not willing to believe it.
15

NotaNumberYet,

Edinburgh 27/08/2009 12:51:20
Rather distasteful to see 'Justice' be subjected to any sort of poll. If he's to be believed then Kenny MacAskill took the decision independently of any political considerations. Polls like this non-quoted one can't help ensure that any future decisions are taken on similarly impartial grounds.
16

watcher,

Edinburgh 27/08/2009 13:29:04
It seems only the dopey Nats think he was right hee hee.
17

John Knox furr First Meenister,

High St, Embra 27/08/2009 13:29:40
I don't get a number of posters here. Kenny says that he took the decision, and yet you just want to drag Brown in. The reason a number of Scots think it was the right decision is because they can't think logically and don't think he was guilty - which is an entirely different argument. Aye. Release Tobin now!
How do you spot a Libyan at an Old Firm game?"
"He's the only one with a Scottish flag."
18

John S,

27/08/2009 13:33:47
So there we have it 51% of Scots were against KM releasing Al Megrahi but two thirds of Scots don't want Kenny MacAskill to resign.
19

Gregor Addison,

Glasgow 27/08/2009 13:56:10
This is a nonsense article. No source given for the poll information, even the article is unsure if it was a poll or a survey - was it the Scotsman's own online poll? My experience from talking to people is that the majority support it. I haven't actually spoken to anyone yet who is against the decision.

I'm pretty cool about this kind of article, other than it being annoying to have to constantly be exposed to this rubbish. Just keep focussed on the upcoming elections, let the unionists indulge in self-delusion and obviously hollow lies. They inhabit a fantasy world that I'm sure the majority of voters see through. I have no polling evidence for this assertion, of course, but like the Scotsman I could always make it up.
20

Gregor Addison,

Glasgow 27/08/2009 13:57:17
No name to the piece either. Shoddy.
21

Gregor Addison,

Glasgow 27/08/2009 13:59:43
No information about how many people were asked. Was it a reputable polling firm? Was it a shout out round the Scotsman offices?
22

SeriouslyAmused,

Alexandria 27/08/2009 14:03:37
The survey found 43 per cent believed it was right to release Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds, but 51 per cent were against the move.

Interesting way of putting it. Why not say '51 per cent of Scots said MacAskill was wrong whilst only 43 percent supported it.' Isn't that usually how the Scotsman would report such a poll?

It's the words 'against the move' I'd like to see clarified.
23

SeriouslyAmused,

Alexandria 27/08/2009 14:06:27
I have no doubt this comment will be removed, but I have seen the new Beta version of the Herald. It will be similar to the current Scotsman, with comments re-instated.

I have a feeling the Scotsman's pages will be deserted after the new Herald website is fully released.

Scotsman, you only have yourself to blame.
24

SeriouslyAmused,

Ayr 27/08/2009 14:09:11
Meanwhile, UK Justice Secretary Jack Straw questioned why Mr MacAskill has visited Megrahi in Greenock prison before reaching his decision. He said prisoners had no right to a personal visit.

Did he? When? What exactly did he say? To whom?

Journalism? You couldn't make it up...or rather you could if you worked for the Scotsman.
25

SeriouslyAmused,

Alexandria 27/08/2009 14:10:47
I get around don't I. Why can't we permanently change our location? It's annoying having to type in my new home town each time I post.
26

Sedov,

27/08/2009 14:16:09
# Edinburgh 100 - spot on. the SNP are no different from any of the rest of them and I have said this for a long time. They have no radical policies in their portfolio of any description and not enough to make one iota of a difference to the Scottish people.

Although I agree with Megrahi's release for different reasons than Kenny Mac's , what have the SNP done in measurable terms to improve our lot apart from scrapping the bridge tolls? They are as bad, if not worse than New Labour.
27

FF,

Edinburgh 27/08/2009 14:19:46
Bad of EEN not to source the poll. I'm assuming YouGov, which is a reputable outfit. Blogged here. Notice SNP voting intentions are way down:

ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/archives/2228
28

KeithD,

Fife 27/08/2009 14:20:06
What a load of tosh by maddox, probably the worst paper in Scotland along with the daily record and sun. I really hope this guy maddox never get's to go near another paper when he get's paid off along with all the other unionists at the scotsman.Hope the daily record and the troll jim traynor who tried to slag off the first minister last week go the same way.
29

FF,

Edinburgh 27/08/2009 14:22:27
Blatant bit of spinning here:

www.snp.org/node/15602
30

John S,

27/08/2009 14:39:54
Meanwhile, UK Justice Secretary Jack Straw questioned why Mr MacAskill has visited Megrahi in Greenock prison before reaching his decision. He said prisoners had no right to a personal visit.

The Scottish Ministers received an application from the Libyan Government requesting the transfer of Mr Al-Megrahi, under the terms of the Prisoner Transfer Agreement, on May 5th, 2009.
As part of the consideration of the application, Mr MacAskill has met or spoken with those that submitted relevant representations, this included:
- The US Attorney General (26 June)
- The US Secretary of State (13 August)
- The Libyan Government (6 July)
- UK families of victims (1 July)
- US families of victims (9 July)
- Families from Lockerbie (23 July)
- Mr Al-Megrahi (5 August)
On August 20, 2009, Scottish Justice Secretary MacAskill denied Al-Megrahi’s release under the Prisoner Transfer Agreement.
31

Linmal,

Livingston 27/08/2009 14:52:02
Does anyone honestly believe that the Westminster Government would have allowed the so-called Scottish Government to release him if they hadn't sanctioned it? Not a chance! MacAskill has been made a scapegoat. It was a wrong decision and I doubt if he really gave consideration to any of the electorate on this one.
32

Linmal,

Livingston 27/08/2009 14:53:33
What happened to the missing 6%? Were they undecided?
33

dmacmillan,

27/08/2009 14:58:12
"UK Justice Secretary Jack Straw questioned why Mr MacAskill has visited Megrahi in Greenock prison before reaching his decision.

He said prisoners had no right to a personal visit."


Jack Straw seems to be trying to suggest that if there is no "right" to a visit then it cannot be provided. And that seems to be how it has been interpretted by most of the media.


However, it may be that a prisoner has no right to a personal visit, but that it is perfectly reasonable to grant one upon request.

This seems to be the position of Kenny MacAskill, he was duty bound to hear representation from him, but not necessarily in person.

However, given that most other representations were made in public then it was a act of fairness to also provide the prisoner with an opportunity to present his case in person.


The only danger in this approach is that he would have to ensure that what was discussed was within the remit of the purpose of the meeting.

Given the lengthy process, and the obvious care that has been put into place, I would be surprised if this cannot be shown to be the case.
34

Edinburgh 100,

Musselburgh 27/08/2009 15:04:25

Whether you belive that he should have been released or not. The issue I have is simple

Macaskil refused the Prisoner Transfer ie sending him back to a Libyan jail.

But he did release him on comapssionate grounds sending him back to his house in Lybia.

All the rest of the c**p is just clouding the issue.

If the prisoner transfer was unaacptable then surely the compassionate release should also have been unacceptable. They are both basicly the same thing. You can use fancy words etc to split hairs between what is the diference between the two. But when you cut out all the c**p the result is the same.



35

Earman,

Paphos 27/08/2009 15:18:52
I take it that Labour, Tories and the LibDems will use this poll as encouragement to force a vote of no confidence and trigger a Holyrood election, given that "most Scots" agree with them on this issue.

....eh? What's that? Oh, apparently they won't.

Why ever not?

C'mon, Mr Gray et al.....it's a penalty kick without a goalie, is it not?
36

bristol jambo,

bristol 27/08/2009 15:21:56
Remember the guildford 4 were guilty as charged,as we found out it was a set up.Lockerbie was covered up and we will never find the truth.The british and american secret service stinks,so peaple should live in the real world.
37

For Scotlands Future,

Vote For The SNP 27/08/2009 16:22:56
A poll conducted has shown that most 99% of Scots believe that The Scotsman News paper is so anti-SNP that it will publish anything in order to construct an anti-SNP headline.
38

Ecce,

Edinburgh 27/08/2009 17:13:35
They never asked me.
39

Auld Twa,

Edinburgh 27/08/2009 18:44:59
Here are two Scots who agree with and support MacAskill all the way.
At last someone who speaks for Scotland, without having to consult the powers that be somewhere else first.
He made the decision, opposition parties do not sem to understand that advice and consultation is not the same as letting someone else make decisions for you.
40

Ian down under,

Musselburgh 27/08/2009 22:23:50
The Maltese shopkeeper whose 'evidence' was the thing which convicted Megrahi now lives in Australia funded by the US$4 million he was paid by the CIA for giving his evidence.
Airport security people were also offered bribes to testify but refused.
The Lockerbie bombimg was an outrage but the essence of justice is that you should convict the right person, not someone convenient.
also when will the US Navy captain who shot down the Iranian airliner be convicted, he killed 20 more than Pan AM103
41

Lianachan,

Highlands 28/08/2009 00:11:12
#2 Which poll?

That's exactly what I was wondering. I assume that, if conducted at all, it was done in the offices of The Scotsman.
42

Brianwci,

28/08/2009 02:13:54
##2 AND #41. Which poll indeed.

This must be the only so called QUALITY newspaper in Europe which would publish a poll on such an important matter with absolutely no details about the poll whatsoever.

The level to which the British Nationalists on this paper will sink is unfathomable.

For the 100th time I ask them? Do you think we are the same as the Sun readership?

For goodness sake some of us can read and write, a few can even think for themselves.
43

Edward,

28/08/2009 02:18:15
This is just copying what the Scottish edition of the Daily Mail.Funnily though there is a wanten lack of detail in either paper.Rumour has it it was a straw poll amongst Scottish Labour MP's
44

Adamantium,

28/08/2009 09:41:55
A poll? What poll?This article is not journalism. The hack who wrote it doesn't deserve to be called a journalist. Poll indeed!
45

dmacmillan,

28/08/2009 10:21:42
Another online poll undermines the unidentified poll quoted by the author.

The Ross-shire Journal

http://www.ross-shirejournal.co.uk/poll/poll_display.php/poll=current/stat_code=vote_ok/email_address=

87% agree with the Justice Secretary's decision
Only 13% disagree with him


Elsewhere, the Journal reports that Charles Kennedy agress with MacAskill's decision.
46

Americanbob,

28/08/2009 10:22:08
Why is it that several of the contributors to this comment section have repeated the quote "UK Justice Secretary, Jack Straw" without questioning it?

Jack Straw is Lord Chancellor (Justice Secretary for ENGLAND not UK) his remit is English law, he is not, and hopefully never will be "UK Justice Secretary"!

If the writer of this article cannot get that simple fact right then why should anyone regard any of the rest of the story as factual!
47

Green eyed monster,

28/08/2009 17:04:10
Maybe the crazy fanatical Nats on here might want to look at the BBC poll.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8226585.stm
48

Green eyed monster,

28/08/2009 17:27:11
The good news of course, is that this whole affair has exposed the fanaticism, fervent anti-Americanism, and mental instability of paranoid Nationalism. Petty, weak, vindictive. Never again should a decision which profoundly affects the whole of the UK be left in the hands of such bungling amateurs.
49

McKirsty,

London 28/08/2009 20:14:20
Something's been bugging me since I read the headline in the newspaper at the beginning of the week, it read something like this.... Lockerbie Bomber To Be Released. Now at the time I knew nothing about why or how he could possibly be let out, I just knew that there was something seriously wrong with it. Now I have been digging a little deeper and I have read and re-read all the stories, listened to friends and collegues give their reasons and excuses and I just canot make sense of why you would, for any reason, let someone out of jail when they are to serve a MINIMUM of 27 years, he served 8. Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi was responsible for killing 270 people, thats 1000s of people who suffered directly by loosing loved ones, but what about all those who put their lives on hold when it happened? It was Wednesday 21st December 1988 at 19.01 GMT when Pan Am fight 103 exploded above Lockerbie, Southern Scotland. This horrendous terrorist attack was a bomb planted in the hold, which ripped the plane apart, resulting in the debris landing on and around the small Sottish village. Now the reason why I am telling you this is because, I was 7 years old and my dad was in the Lothian and Borders Police Force at the time and had to go and help the other 100s of officers, who had been ripped apart from their families, look through wreckage to find bodies and body parts or any other evidence. My dad recalls the the saviours of the day, who gave up their own Christmasses, the wonderful Salvation Army and Womans Institute who brought them flasks of tea and coffee and sandwiches while they sifted through fields, rubble and woods for any hint of human remains. These amazingly selfless people even gave up their Christmas day to give all the policemen/women, medics, emergency services and everyone else a Christmas dinner of their own. A truely amazing show of humanity. All these people who helped out now have stand side by side with the victims families to helplessly watch this mass murd
50

Skeptician,

West Lothian 29/08/2009 18:39:21
In view of the well known doubts about Megrahi's guilt, referring to him as the 'Lockerbie bomber' loads the question. A moer neutral term such as 'Lockerbie convict' would be appropriate, while 'Lockerbie scapegoat' is probably nearer the truth.

His failure to express remorse for the bombing of the aircraft, although held against him by many, is consistent with his innocence, as are many other aspects of the case.

In view of his ill health I am glad he was released on compassionate grounds, but regret the reasons given did not mention doubt as to his guilt. I presume that 'due process of law' prevents Scottish & UK ministers from stating doubts about the safety of the verdict as influencing the decision about his release.

Meanwhile please desist from calling him 'the Lockerbie bomber'.

 

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