Thursday, July 29, 2010

Lockerbie

So the next episode in the Lockerbie Senate saga is to be a ‘multi-dimensional inquiry.’

I think this must be the first time in my lifetime that the British are on the receiving end of such American ‘displeasure’ right here, right now. Part of me thinks that it is a good thing that they should learn what it feels like.

Brian Barder, who is well placed to comment, has written this good piece about the whole affair. I agree that “The attempt by US Senators to summon Kenny MacAskill (and Jack Straw), to be grilled … about al-Megrahi’s release … [is] impertinent.”

There are just two points I should like to add.

Doctors cannot predict when any one particular patient will die anymore than they can predict with accuracy the time of birth or even the length of labour. Saturday's Times for example carried the story of a woman who has survived a diagnosis of stage 4 breast cancer for 17 years. But that does not mean they can offer no prognosis at all, taking all relevant factors into account. If a patient survives for longer than forecast that is normally cause for celebration.

For insight into whether Megrahi’s continuing survival is “the most amazing medical recovery since Lazarus” I re-read Stephen Jay Gould’s The Median Isn't the Message about surviving cancer. ‘If circumstances change, survival times may alter’ is but one of his conclusions.

Yes, release may have given Megrahi a new will to live, but has anyone considered how his death in prison might have prompted renewed attacks on us by those who sincerely believe that he is an innocent man, the victim of a miscarriage of justice?

Of course it cannot be easy for some of the relatives of those who died in Lockerbie to know that Megrahi is free. Life cannot be all that easy for the relatives of the those who died in the IRA Birmingham pub bombings either. Not only do they not know the names of those who carried out that atrocity but they had to watch the triumphant reception (in London) of the men who were the only ones ever convicted, but were subsequently found themselves to be the victims of a miscarriage of justice.

“Several well informed people believe there are skeletons in this cupboard which powerful people in the UK and the US want to keep securely and permanently locked away right where they are” says Brian Barder. I believe it may be just that, rather than any really murky conspiracy, it is (just) possible that their concerns amount to those of the judge in the Birmingham 6’s first failed appeal: a strong & determined wish to cast no further doubt on the integrity and reliability of the criminal justice system (including those who investigate crime & produce the evidence for the court).


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