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Opinion

True crime, true justice

THAT DOES IT - Korina Sanchez -

Some things should not be done. The person convicted of the Lockerbie bombing has been set free, due to compassionate grounds. Apparently, he has terminal prostate cancer with only a few months to live.

So what? He has prostate cancer and is expected to die. So why even set him free, after he caused the death of 270 people on board the Pan American flight! A pre-meditated crime that only a seasoned terrorist, one incapable of remorse can commit.

It’s as if the feelings of the victim’s families did not even matter anymore. And true enough, Libyans prepared to welcome Abdel Basset Mohamed al-Megrahi in heroic fashion, as is the custom to taunt the West at every given opportunity, if not for the quick acts of government to downplay his return to the once pariah state.

Thousands who gathered at the airport hours before he landed were already celebrating, but then most were rushed away to reduce the numbers. I cannot even fathom what the victim’s relatives are feeling now!

I never believed in releasing convicted perpetrators of heinous and unspeakable crimes, just because of good behavior, enough time served or humanitarian reasons. I believe in absolute justice for the victims and their families.

Megrahi should have been allowed to die in his cell, alone and in pain, for the crime he committed. He has served only eight years of his life sentence.

Just recently, we have had examples of our own of the same situation, where convicted persons of unspeakable crimes were set free because of time served or humanitarian reasons. Or maybe other reasons only the self-perceived gods of this government know for sure!

To err is human, to forgive divine. Not for this writer. People who have committed terrible crimes against other people deserve to be punished, in a way befitting of their atrocities. Giving all the breaks to these monsters leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

There is nothing wrong with serving justice when needed. The Scottish government’s decision to free Megrahi defies comprehension. There was no worldwide clamor for the release of this man.

If this Northern country wanted to set an example of compassion, it may have chosen the wrong person to use. In fact, another crime against the victims’ families of Flight 103 has been committed.


ABDEL BASSET MOHAMED

COMMITTED

CONVICTED

CRIME

CRIMES

FREE

LOCKERBIE

MEGRAHI

PAN AMERICAN

SET

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