The Lockerbie Bomber Conviction

[DanaC]

Just watched an interesting report on newsnight that shows serious flaws in both the forensic evidence, the overall investigation and the trial process that led to the conviction of the Lockerbie bomber. Experts who worked on the case both in America and Scotland expressed serious doubts as to the safety of the conviction and equally serious doubts as to the methods emplyed by others in the investigation.

Even the central piece of evidence linking the attack to Libya (the fragment of the circuit board taken to be part of the bomb) was considered by this report to be 'improbable'. It was never properly tested. The person who was investigating for the FBI had a political not a scientific background. Tests conducted since have shown no propensity to produce a fragment anything like this. The fragment itself was not treated in anyway carefully as a piece of evidence by the police who found it (weeks after the event) and descriptions of the item underwent unusual changes across the period prior to it becoming hailed as a central piece of evidence. One of the forensic investigators refused to do residue tests, claiming he could make an assessment visually, purely by looking at it: something another forensic and metallurgist now says is highly questionable.

There was more to it. I can't recall all the details. But it was pretty compelling stuff.

It looks very much like whoever committed this appalling attack was never caught. And an innocent man has most likely spent years in prison. Unfortunately; as a condition of his release on compassionate grounds (hes dying of prostate cancer) he has had to withdraw the appeal he had pending. Compassionate release is not legally possible as long as the prisoner continues to protest his innocence.

So...we'll probably never know for sure.

[classicman]

Here is a link about it.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Looks guilty to me, just look at that hat.

[Elspode]

Isn't this the guy who's dying from some horrible cancer or something? 'Nuff said. God is punishing him.

[TheMercenary]

My guess is he was served up by Kadafi as a concession for some other quid pro quo.

[classicman]

[ZenGum]

I'm not too concerned about the individual(s) who planted the bomb. I want to see the higher-up who ordered it punished.

Assuming that it was done by Libya, it is pretty certain it was ordered by Gadaffi. I'd be happy to let the bomber, who is really just a patsy, die at home, and make certain of nailing Gadaffi.

As Dana points out, however, that it was Libya is an assumption and a rather questionable one at that.

[monster]

I get points if he dies......

#mercenary

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by Elspode

Isn't this the guy who's dying from some horrible cancer or something? 'Nuff said. God is punishing him.

He certainly is now.

A father of one of the victims is a doctor and has offered to attend him. He believes that despite his actions, anyone dying of cancer is already going through hell and deserves a dignified death.

Bloody good chap.

[Rhianne]

Well done Sundae, I had to delete my reply pre-posting.

[footfootfoot]

There was a 3 part article in the New York Review of Books several years ago that noted some very odd coincidences concerning several upper level FBI agents who were on that plane and happened to be on the way to testifying against one of the FBI higher ups. Or maybe that was another plane crash. Or maybe that was a movie.

Frankly, I believe none of what I hear and only half of what I see. But if you enjoy gossiping don't let me stop you.