Obama Seeks Imprisonment for Lockerbie Bomber

The Obama administration asked Friday that the only person convicted for the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 be returned to a Scottish prison.

John Brennan, President Barack Obama's counterterrorism adviser, told reporters accompanying the vacationing leader that the U.S. has "expressed our strong conviction" to Scottish officials that Abdel Baset Al-Megrahi should not remain free. The comments came on the first anniversary of Al-Megrahi's release.

Brennan criticized what he termed the "unfortunate and inappropriate and wrong decision," and added: "We've expressed our strong conviction that Al-Begrahi should serve out the remainder - the entirety - of his sentence in a Scottish prison."

Earlier in Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton issued a statement that underscored the U.S. position.

Similarly, he said the U.S. had "effective and productive discussions" with Libyan officials since the restoration of full diplomatic relations two years ago.

"We will use those diplomatic channels to convey our sentiments on a broad range of issues to include Mr. Al-Megrahi," said Brennan.

Al-Megrahi was ordered in 2001 to serve 27 years in prison for the bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland, but was freed on Aug. 20 of last year on compassionate grounds. He was said to suffer from cancer and had just months to live.

The bombing killed 259 people onboard - mostly Americans - and 11 on the ground.

[ajvw]

Pure cBS

[dontknowitall]

Ya. And I seek a Full-Time job with benefits. But I won't see that again either!

[Marchmont]

The first anniversary of the release of Abdelbaset al Megrahi saw the attack dogs of a vengeful America targeting Scottish Justice Secretary Ken MacAskill. Yet the question facing MacAskill was not whether Megrahi would die in three months but whether he would die in three months if he remained in a Scottish jail. There was always a chance that sending the dying Libyan home to his family would reduce his stress levels, improve his immune system, and prolong his life. He has certainly received a world-class cancer treatment in Tripoli not available in Greenock and prediction in this area of medicine is hardly an exact science. The release of Megrahi had been recommended by the Scottish Prisons health director, the parole board, and the prison governor. But it had also been requested by Nelson Mandela, the Church of Scotland, the Catholic Church, the law faculties of the Scottish universities, the representatives of British relatives and the UN's official observer at the notorious trial in The Hague. Any US Senate inquiry should include the original investigation and trial, in particular the part played by the downing of the Iranian passenger plane over the Persian Gulf by the renegade American battlecruiser Vincennes. The grubby fingerprints of Iran and Syria are all over this outrageous episode and the guilty verdict on Megrahi was manifestly unsafe.

[stevens63]

Say nothing when it is happening and 1 year later ask he be returned.....hmmmm, sounds like elections might be comming up

[lilbear925]

Well, Obama finally decided to say something that reflects what everyone in America thinks. Too bad it will never happen.

[jgg000101]

seriously, this headline sounds very authoritative and assertive when in reality obama, hillary and everybody else got played for fools. Good luck putting him back in prison.

[inseeisyou]

CBSNews aka White House Damage Control working overtime I see.

[jgg000101]

wasn't the lockerbie bomber already in prison? Talk about closing the barn door after the horse has gotten out.

[pensacola8-2009]

The matter is closed. Libya paid $4 billion dollars in compensation to the families of the victims and pledged not to support terrorism in the future. Abdel Baset Al-Megrahi Back is no threat to us and is dying, and was repatriated to his forgiven country.

Constructive grieving requires detachment to anger, fear and hatred coupled with forgiveness, so that an exit can be made to back to peace where joy can be found again.
Abdel Baset Al-Megrahi Back lives as a free man and will die as one. He is forgiven and absolved. The matter is closed.

[pensacola8-2009]

This is quite strange. Libya paid $4 Billion dollars compensation to the victims of their attacks, received political forgiveness and swore off sponsoring terrorism in the future. The only surviving terrorist tried and convicted is now dying and was repatriated to his forgiven homeland.

What's the big deal? Our conflicts with Libya were resolved. Don't any of you know how to forgive and live peacefully after a conflict is resolved?

Abdel Baset Al-Megrahi is no threat to us. Grieve constructively and resolve your pain. Make an exit out to the other end of this event.

Life is too short to spend it serving fear, anger and hatred. This appetite for revenge is politically neurotic and I don't support it, or any expenses to pander to it.