Lest our country forget, 189 Americans died when their plane exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988. Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi of Libya was the only person found guilty of this act of terror, though he undoubtedly received assistance from the government of the now deposed General Moammar Gadhafi.
A Scottish court sentenced al-Megrahi in 2001 to a life prison term. Unfortunately, he was released from a Scottish prison in 2009 on “compassionate grounds,” claiming that he had only months to live in his battle with terminal cancer. Upon returning to Libya, he was hailed as a hero.
Adding insult to injury, al-Meghari has lived in a palatial residence since his release. High walls and security cameras fortify the home’s exterior, while its interior includes countless rooms and marble tile, ostensibly paid for by the coffers of Gadhafi’s regime (CNN's Robertson on finding Lockerbie bomber, August 28, 2011).
As life returns to the streets of Tripoli and the country's new leaders seek legitimacy, al-Meghari lies comatose, frail, and wizened.
Surrounded by family and loved ones, Al-Meghari spends his last hours in opulence, a scene that stands in stark contrast to the charnel house he was guilty of perpetrating.
Surrounded by family and loved ones, Al-Meghari spends his last hours in opulence, a scene that stands in stark contrast to the charnel house he was guilty of perpetrating.
I wish the best for the people of Libya in their journey towards democracy, while I expect its future leaders to honor their pledge of prosecuting agents of terrorism, including those who conspired to attack Pan-Am Flight 103.
Let’s hope that in death al-Meghari finally receives the justice and hell he rightfully deserves.
