Posted on 07/21/2010 10:29:58 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
LONDON (AFP) – Scottish ministers on Wednesday defended their decision to free the Lockerbie bomber after renewed US anger over the release threatened to spoil the new British premier's first visit to the White House.
Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said he did not regret freeing Libyan Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds last August.
And Salmon denied claims from US lawmakers that the release formed part of an oil deal between BP and resource-rich Libya.
"If you take a decision in good faith, you don't regret it," Salmond, the leader of Scotland's devolved government, told BBC radio.
He added: "As far as the Scottish government is concerned we had no contact with BP, either written or verbal, as far as the process of compassionate release was concerned."
The decision to free prostate cancer sufferer Megrahi, the only person convicted of the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am jet over the Scottish town of Lockerbie, caused outrage in the United States, where most of the 270 victims were from.
Many of the bereaved families condemned the move, FBI chief Robert Mueller said it gave "comfort to terrorists around the world", and an online campaign was launched for a boycott of Scottish goods.
The anger has now been renewed by claims by US senators that BP -- already under fire over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill -- lobbied for Megrahi's release to safeguard a 2007 oil exploration deal with Libya worth 900 million dollars.
The row threatened to overshadow British Prime Minister David Cameron's first official visit to the White House Tuesday, but during talks with US President Barack Obama the two leaders sought to play down any differences.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Scotland is simply a country of idiots, a completely worthless country.
Anyone with sense left fro Northern Ireland or America a long time ago.
To quote the now recognized, all-seeing, wise oracle Archie Bunker:
Good night, Noyce.
Bye, bye UK.
I always tell everyone that English is not my first language but Klingon is.
Ha-I’ll have to try that!
“Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said he did not regret freeing Libyan Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds last August.”
I’ll wager no one is speculating as to what this oat-munching eunuch is wearing under his kilt.
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