Libyan rebels deny offering Lockerbie compensation

Guardian UK ^ | Tuesday April 5, 2011 | Chris McGreal in Benghazi

[SunkenCiv]

Libya's revolutionary administration has denied a claim by a British lawyer representing victims of IRA attacks and the Lockerbie bombing that it has apologised for Libya's involvement and offered compensation.

Following a meeting with the rebel council's leadership in Benghazi, Jason McCue, head of the Libya Victims Initiative, read a statement which he said was an "unequivocal apology" for Libya's provision of Semtex used in IRA bombings and the blowing up of the Pan Am flight.

McCue said the revolutionary council had agreed to pay compensation along the lines paid out in a deal between Muammar Gaddafi and the US government which provided $10m for a death and $3m for a serious injury. He said there was also agreement to set up a trust for other victims.

McCue said the apology and offer of compensation was in the name of chairman of its interim governing council, Mustafa Abdul Jalil.

But Abdul Hafiz Ghoga, its deputy chairman, said McCue's claims were "not true".

"We didn't apologise ourselves. We regret what happened, the catastrophic event of Lockerbie, and we will do our best to reach the truth with the families of Lockerbie. Also for the IRA. We emphasised to the British government that we will work to overcome what has happened. But there was no apology. We are not responsible," he said.

[SunkenCiv]

Abdul Hafiz Ghoga expressed symnpathy but denied having made a compensation offer to a Libya Victims Initiative lawyer. Photograph: Manu Brbao/EPA

[SunkenCiv]

Two-tailed coin ping.

[JoeProBono]

[org.whodat]

Which is better the idiot you know are the idiot you don’t.

[SunkenCiv]

The one you know, because he’s not a young guy, and won’t be around much longer. He’s not under attack by lovers of democracy, so, the more of the rebels he kills, the fewer troubles later.