Post by Focus on Jul 28, 2013 22:05:45 GMT
The release of the Lockerbie bomber from prison was connected to a £400 million air defence deal Tony Blair discussed with Libya, according to a briefing note written by the British ambassador.
Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was released from jail in 2009 on ‘compassionate grounds’ because he had terminal prostate cancer.
The Scottish Government said at the time that the bomber had only weeks to live – although it was almost three years before he was killed by his illness.
Handshake : Tony Blair, pictured with Colonel Gaddafi in Tripoli, met the dictator six times after he resigned as Prime Minister
The briefing note, sent in June 2008 by the ambassador to former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s private office, said Libya was linking the defence deal to four prisoner transfer agreements being signed.
The message was sent by Sir Vincent Fean two days before Mr Blair was due to go to Tripoli to meet the dictator on June 10 reports say.
In total, Mr Blair made at least six trips to the north African state to meet Colonel Gaddafi after standing down as Prime Minister before the dictator fell from power.
Gaddafi’s government had been repeatedly lobbying for the release of al-Megrahi.
The bomber was found guilty of murder after a PanAm flight was exploded over Lockerbie, in Scotland, in 1988 killing 270 people.
Release : Lockerbie bomber al-Megrahi was released from prison in 2009 with only 'weeks to live'. He died almost three years later
Sir Vincent’s 1,300-word note, which provides a remarkable insight into the UK’s relations with Libya, has been released for the first time under the Freedom of Information Act.
Just before Tony Blair stood down as Prime Minister in 2007, Libya agreed a deal to buy a MBDA missile defence system from a company part-owned by British manufacturer BAE systems.
At the same time, Mr Blair signed a memorandum of understanding with Mr Gaddafi that four prisoners would be transferred to Libya.
The briefing note, obtained by us, said that four prisoner transfer agreements would be signed as soon as the defence deal was done.
Libya understood that the deal would lead to al-Megrahi’s release.
The note said: ‘There is one bilateral issue which I hope TB (Tony Blair) can raise, as a legacy issue. On 29 May 07 in Sirte, he and Libya’s PM agreed that Libya would buy an air defence system (Jernas) from the UK (MBDA). One year on, MBDA are now back in Tripoli aiming to agree and sign the contract now — worth £400 million, and up to 2,000 jobs in the UK.
Atrocity : 270 people died when Pam Am flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie, in Scotland on December 21, 1988, in the worst terror attack ever seen on British soil
‘Saif (Gaddafi’s son) says they are to come back to conclude; but there is opposition within the Libyan armed forces, from those in the Russian defence equipment camp.
‘We think we have Col Q’s (Gaddafi’s) goodwill for this contract: it would be very helpful if he expressed it more clearly. This issue can also be raised with Libya’s PM, and the Planning Minister. It was PM Baghdadi who told the media on 29 May 07 that Libya would buy British.
‘Linked (by Libya) is the issue of the 4 bilateral Justice agreements about which TB signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with Baghdadi on 29 May. The MoU says they will be negotiated within the year: they have been. They are all ready for signature in London as soon as Libya fulfils its promise on Jernas.’
A spokesman for the Scottish Government today reiterated that the Lockerbie bomber’s release was on compassionate grounds.
Deal : Tony Blair agreed with Colonel Gaddafi that Libya would sign a £400 million air defence contract
‘The Scottish government’s decision to release Mr Megrahi was nothing to do with any deals and was taken on compassionate grounds.’
A spokesman for Tony Blair said that the prisoner transfer agreements never related to the Lockerbie bomber.
He said Sir Vincent’s email did not show ‘the UK government was trying to link the defence deal and Megrahi.’
He added: ‘Actually it shows the opposite — that any linkage was from the Libyan side.
‘As far as we’re aware there was no linkage on the UK side. What the email in fact shows is that, consistent with what we have always said, it was made clear to the then Libyan leader that the release of Megarahi was a matter for Scotland and was not a matter for Her Majesty’s Government.
‘As we’ve said before, the subjects of the conversations during Mr Blair’s occasional visits was primarily Africa, as Libya was for a time head of the African Union; but also the Middle East and how Libya should reform and open up.
‘Of course the Libyans, as they always did, raised Megrahi. Mr Blair explained, as he always did, in office and out of it, that it was not a decision for the UK government but for the Scottish Executive.’
Blair and Gaddafi - Both b..tards have the blood of countless lost lives on their murdering hands!! - Fx
Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was released from jail in 2009 on ‘compassionate grounds’ because he had terminal prostate cancer.
The Scottish Government said at the time that the bomber had only weeks to live – although it was almost three years before he was killed by his illness.
Handshake : Tony Blair, pictured with Colonel Gaddafi in Tripoli, met the dictator six times after he resigned as Prime Minister
The briefing note, sent in June 2008 by the ambassador to former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s private office, said Libya was linking the defence deal to four prisoner transfer agreements being signed.
The message was sent by Sir Vincent Fean two days before Mr Blair was due to go to Tripoli to meet the dictator on June 10 reports say.
In total, Mr Blair made at least six trips to the north African state to meet Colonel Gaddafi after standing down as Prime Minister before the dictator fell from power.
Gaddafi’s government had been repeatedly lobbying for the release of al-Megrahi.
The bomber was found guilty of murder after a PanAm flight was exploded over Lockerbie, in Scotland, in 1988 killing 270 people.
Release : Lockerbie bomber al-Megrahi was released from prison in 2009 with only 'weeks to live'. He died almost three years later
Sir Vincent’s 1,300-word note, which provides a remarkable insight into the UK’s relations with Libya, has been released for the first time under the Freedom of Information Act.
Just before Tony Blair stood down as Prime Minister in 2007, Libya agreed a deal to buy a MBDA missile defence system from a company part-owned by British manufacturer BAE systems.
At the same time, Mr Blair signed a memorandum of understanding with Mr Gaddafi that four prisoners would be transferred to Libya.
The briefing note, obtained by us, said that four prisoner transfer agreements would be signed as soon as the defence deal was done.
Libya understood that the deal would lead to al-Megrahi’s release.
The note said: ‘There is one bilateral issue which I hope TB (Tony Blair) can raise, as a legacy issue. On 29 May 07 in Sirte, he and Libya’s PM agreed that Libya would buy an air defence system (Jernas) from the UK (MBDA). One year on, MBDA are now back in Tripoli aiming to agree and sign the contract now — worth £400 million, and up to 2,000 jobs in the UK.
Atrocity : 270 people died when Pam Am flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie, in Scotland on December 21, 1988, in the worst terror attack ever seen on British soil
‘Saif (Gaddafi’s son) says they are to come back to conclude; but there is opposition within the Libyan armed forces, from those in the Russian defence equipment camp.
‘We think we have Col Q’s (Gaddafi’s) goodwill for this contract: it would be very helpful if he expressed it more clearly. This issue can also be raised with Libya’s PM, and the Planning Minister. It was PM Baghdadi who told the media on 29 May 07 that Libya would buy British.
‘Linked (by Libya) is the issue of the 4 bilateral Justice agreements about which TB signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with Baghdadi on 29 May. The MoU says they will be negotiated within the year: they have been. They are all ready for signature in London as soon as Libya fulfils its promise on Jernas.’
A spokesman for the Scottish Government today reiterated that the Lockerbie bomber’s release was on compassionate grounds.
Deal : Tony Blair agreed with Colonel Gaddafi that Libya would sign a £400 million air defence contract
‘The Scottish government’s decision to release Mr Megrahi was nothing to do with any deals and was taken on compassionate grounds.’
A spokesman for Tony Blair said that the prisoner transfer agreements never related to the Lockerbie bomber.
He said Sir Vincent’s email did not show ‘the UK government was trying to link the defence deal and Megrahi.’
He added: ‘Actually it shows the opposite — that any linkage was from the Libyan side.
‘As far as we’re aware there was no linkage on the UK side. What the email in fact shows is that, consistent with what we have always said, it was made clear to the then Libyan leader that the release of Megarahi was a matter for Scotland and was not a matter for Her Majesty’s Government.
‘As we’ve said before, the subjects of the conversations during Mr Blair’s occasional visits was primarily Africa, as Libya was for a time head of the African Union; but also the Middle East and how Libya should reform and open up.
‘Of course the Libyans, as they always did, raised Megrahi. Mr Blair explained, as he always did, in office and out of it, that it was not a decision for the UK government but for the Scottish Executive.’
Blair and Gaddafi - Both b..tards have the blood of countless lost lives on their murdering hands!! - Fx
