rssMenendez, Lautenberg to Continue BP-Lockerbie Investigation
Monday, August 02, 2010 at 12:40 pm
- 18 Comments
Sens. Robert Menendez and Frank Lautenberg, both New Jersey Democrats, will continue to seek details about BP’s alleged involvement in the release last year of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi from a Scottish prison. Al-Megrahi was convicted of organizing the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, which resulted in the death of 270 people.
Late last month, representatives of BP and the Scottish and British governments told the New Jersey senators that they couldn’t make it to Washington to testify at a July 29 hearing on the issue, which was subsequently canceled. The senators announced today that they will continue to conduct an investigation into the release of al-Megrahi, which will touch on the involvement of BP, as well as both governments. They said they will reschedule the hearing in the coming months as they continue to gather information on a number of issues.
According to a statement from the senators, the investigation will include:
- “A thorough review of all documents already made public by the British and Scottish governments and all documents newly released to Senator Menendez by the British government.”
- “Requests for specific additional documents from sources potentially including the British, Scottish, Libyan and US governments, as well as BP.”
- “Requests to interview key individuals, with the possibility of conducting such interviews outside of the U.S.”
Menendez and Lautenberg, as well as Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, both Democrats from New York, have alleged that BP worked behind the scenes to help coordinate the release of al-Megrahi in order to finalize plans for a $900 million drilling project in the African country. BP has said it voiced concerns that the slow release of al-Megrahi could impact the company’s Libyan drilling contract, but denies any involvement in the release.
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18 Comments
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Comment posted August 2, 2010 @ 4:49 pm
Glad to see that the Scottish Government has already responded to Menendez, making clear that it wasn't that “they couldn't make it” to the hearing, but that they were refusing as a matter of principle – ie. no US government official would ever agree to testify before a foreign legislature, so it was arrogant in the extreme to assume that a Scottish government minister should testify before the US Senate upon demand.
They also yet again correct some of the brazen factual inaccuracies that Menendez and co. have been peddling. Will the message finally get home this time? On past form, I'm not hugely optimistic.
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Comment posted August 2, 2010 @ 9:50 pm
I'm a Scot who's getting a bit fed up of some opportunistic senator trying to win votes by making a series of false allegations and continuing to disrespect the sovereignity of my country. Whilst I disagreed with the decision to free al Megrahi, I respect the right of democratically elected ministers to make difficult decisions that are in accordance with the laws of my country – these ministers are accountable to me and my fellow voters, not the Senate, and to suggest as Menendez did that they should take the opportunity to “exonerate” themselves is arrogant in the extreme.
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Comment posted August 3, 2010 @ 9:02 am
Seems that Menendez is becoming the rightful inheritor of the Salem witches tradition – inventing the smears to disseminate the “evidence” to further his private vendetta. In the process, America's reputation abroad is suffering serious damage. Maybe yo'all should sell the Statue of Liberty – it doesn't signify any more.
Comment posted August 3, 2010 @ 10:08 am
If Senator Menendez is fast becoming an international embarrassment.
With the US Senate being the oil lobbyist capitol of the world, it is a bit rich for him to attempt flinging mud at anyone.
He clearly doesn't have an ounce of knowledge about Scotland or he would know that Scottish Ministers have no jurisdiction in UK Foreign policy – end of story.
He would also know, with a little reading of the documents that have been in the public arena for a year, that the Scottish Justice Secretary released Megrahi on compassionate grounds (no deals, no Prisoner Transfer Agreement, no oil).
He was effectively bound by precedent set by previous Scottishand UK Government Ministers. Had he refused, Megrahi would have sought, and won, judicial review, plus a refusal would probably have been in breach of the European Human Rights Act to which Scotland is subscribed.
The most pitiful thing is that Menendez is portraying the whole of America as a belligerent bully towards the small nation of Scotland. A nation with many familial ties to the USA and a nation which sacrifices its men and women on a daily basis, supporting the United States in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Menendez should hang his head in shame, or if incapable of that, should at least shut up and give us all a bit of peace.
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Trackback posted August 7, 2010 @ 12:48 am
Al-Megrahi Controversy Ramps Up: A Guide to ‘Compassionate Release’…
We cover the same subject but your aproach is intersting….
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