Lockerbie Bomber’s Release Brings Mixed Reactions

One news story that garnered a lot of attention last week was the release of the Lockerbie bomber from a Scottish prison on grounds that he was terminally ill and should be allowed to go home to Libya to die.

The story has engendered a lot of emotion in both the United Kingdom and the United States, the two countries from which most of the Lockerbie victims came. It gives us the opportunity to discuss issues of justice, compassion and international relations.

In the News

“Injustice” and “compassion” were words heard a lot last month when the Scottish government released convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi, allowing him to return to his homeland of Libya. Those opposed to the release, including many Americans, saw it as injustice. The Scottish judicial system, which authorized the release, said it was based on compassion, given that al-Megrahi has terminal prostate cancer and less than three months to live.

“Anger” also joined the vocabulary of this news when, instead of receiving al-Megrahi quietly, Libyan officials gave him a celebratory hero’s welcome home.

Several documents the British and Scottish governments released to the public last week reveal that some other words apply as well. Those include “rehabilitation [of Libya],” “international relations,” “diplomacy” and even “threat.” Another word that was spoken at the time was “oil,” but observers now say that a broader category applies, “commercial interests [of Britain].”

Al-Megrahi is the only participant to be convicted of the terrorist bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, on December 21, 1988. He was tried in 2000 and had served just over nine years of his sentence before being released. Since the downing of the flight killed all 259 people on the plane and another 11 on the ground, al-Megrahi was convicted of mass murder and imprisoned for life, which meant he should serve a minimum term of 20 years.

Of the 259 on the plane, 169 of the passengers and 11 of the crew were Americans. Forty of the passengers, one of the crew and all 11 victims on the ground were from the United Kingdom. The rest of the victims represented 19 additional countries. Many families of the victims were outraged by the release, but some say they trust the Scottish government’s decision, and a few declare that they have never been convinced of al-Megrahi’s guilt to begin with.

While the Scottish government is semi-autonomous from the British administration, and apparently made the final decision to release al-Megrahi, international relations and diplomacy came into the mix. The British government had expressed a desire to help Libya “reintegrate into the international community.” British Justice Secretary Jack Straw made that statement in a 2008 letter to Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond.

Straw also argued that a strong relationship with Libya “is good for the U.K.” He added that “Libya is one of only two countries to have ever voluntarily and transparently dismantled its weapons of mass destruction program. Having sponsored terrorist attacks in the past, it is now an important partner in the fight against terrorism.”

The overlap of interests between the Scottish and U.K. administrations could not be ignored, said Ed Owen, a former adviser to Straw.

Threat came from the Libya side. That country had repeatedly warned Britain of “catastrophic effects” for their relationship if al-Megrahi died in prison.

After the release, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, speaking for the United States administration, issued a statement saying, “The interests of justice have not been served by this decision.” He reportedly spoke in significantly more forceful language in a phone call to the Scottish ministers.

More on this story may be found at these links:

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1919989,00.html?iid=tsmodule

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6818155.ece

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6817232.ece

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/08/20/lockerbie.bomber.reaction/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_Am_Flight_103

Confronting the News with Scripture

1 Samuel 24:1-22 (NLT)
1 After Saul returned from fighting the Philistines, he was told that David had gone into the wilderness of En-gedi. 2 So Saul chose 3,000 elite troops from all Israel and went to search for David and his men near the rocks of the wild goats. 3 At the place where the road passes some sheepfolds, Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. But as it happened, David and his men were hiding farther back in that very cave! 4 “Now’s your opportunity!” David’s men whispered to him. “Today the Lord is telling you, ‘I will certainly put your enemy into your power, to do with as you wish.’” So David crept forward and cut off a piece of the hem of Saul’s robe. 5 But then David’s conscience began bothering him because he had cut Saul’s robe. 6 “The Lord knows I shouldn’t have done that to my lord the king,” he said to his men. “The Lord forbid that I should do this to my lord the king and attack the Lord’s anointed one, for the Lord himself has chosen him.” 7 So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul. After Saul had left the cave and gone on his way, 8 David came out and shouted after him, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked around, David bowed low before him. 9 Then he shouted to Saul, “Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying to harm you? 10 This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said, ‘I will never harm the king-he is the Lord’s anointed one.’ 11 Look, my father, at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. This proves that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for me to kill me. 12 “May the Lord judge between us. Perhaps the Lord will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you. 13 As that old proverb says, ‘From evil people come evil deeds.’ So you can be sure I will never harm you. 14 Who is the king of Israel trying to catch anyway? Should he spend his time chasing one who is as worthless as a dead dog or a single flea? 15 May the Lord therefore judge which of us is right and punish the guilty one. He is my advocate, and he will rescue me from your power!” 16 When David had finished speaking, Saul called back, “Is that really you, my son David?” Then he began to cry. 17 And he said to David, “You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil. 18 Yes, you have been amazingly kind to me today, for when the Lord put me in a place where you could have killed me, you didn’t do it. 19 Who else would let his enemy get away when he had him in his power? May the Lord reward you well for the kindness you have shown me today. 20 And now I realize that you are surely going to be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will flourish under your rule. 21 Now swear to me by the Lord that when that happens you will not kill my family and destroy my line of descendants!” 22 So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went back to their stronghold.

James 2:8-13 (NLT)
8 Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 9 But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law. 10 For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws. 11 For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.” So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law. 12 So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. 13 There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.

The Big Questions

• Is a prisoner’s impending death from a natural cause sufficient reason to grant early release when the crime involved is especially heinous? What biblical principles are involved?
• How are justice and mercy related to each other? What factors help you decide when to apply one over the other?
• When, if ever, should international concerns between nations be permitted to override matters of justice toward individuals? What facts of international relationships should be considered, if any?
• What position should the church take in this particular case?