The underlying moral authority of the decision by Scottish Justice Minister, Kenny MacAskill, to free the Lockerbie bomber, Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi, on compassionate grounds has been reinforced this week with expressions of support from both church and legal bodies.

A poll of Scottish lawyers has overwhelmingly supported the Justice Secretary's decision. The poll, undertaken by the legal publication "Scottish Legal News", showed that more than two-thirds of lawyers supported the Justice Secretary's ruling.

Of 424 readers who responded to the survey two-thirds (67.9 per cent) said the Minister made the right decision.

Responding to the poll Stewart Maxwell MSP (SNP) said:

"This is a welcome endorsement from Scotland's legal community for the decision Kenny MacAskill has taken."

"Throughout this process Kenny MacAskill has stressed that this was a legal decision taken in a quasi-judicial capacity, something which has been recognised by Scotland's legal community."

In a sideswipe at politically opportunistic attacks on the Justice Secretary by opposition parties in the Scottish parliament he added:

"Scotland's legal system is a strong system that deserves the support of our politicians."

The support from Lawyers follows earlier endorsement of Mac Askill's actions by both the Church of Scotland and also the Catholic Church in Scotland.

Commenting on the compassionate grounds for release Archbishop Mario Conti:

"I personally, and many others in the Catholic community admired the decision to release Abdelbaset al-Megrahi on grounds of compassion which is, after all, one of the principles inscribed on the mace of the Scottish Parliament by which Scotland's Government should operate. The showing of mercy in any situation is not a sign of weakness. Indeed in this situation, with the pressures and circumstances of the case, it seemed to me a sign of manifest strength. Despite contrary voices I believe it is a decision which will be a source of pride for many Scots and one which will be respected in the international community. I have been impressed by the expressions of understanding and insight from Dr Jim Swire and other relatives who lost loved ones on the Pan Am flight who have acknowledged both the rightness of the gesture of compassion and the doubts as to the safety of the original conviction."

His remarks echo earlier comments by the Convenor of the Church of Scotland, Rev Ian Galloway:

"This decision has sent a message to the world about what it is to be Scottish. We are defined as a nation by how we treat those who have chosen to hurt us. Do we choose mercy even when they did not chose mercy? I understand the deep anger and grief that still grips the souls of the victims' families and I respect their views, but to them, I would say justice is not lost in acting in mercy. Instead our deepest humanity is expressed for the better. To choose mercy is the tough choice and today our nation met that challenge."

Related information, including a BBC Newsnight report on the `Scottish Legal News' poll, can be found here:

(voir le site)

(voir le site)

J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League

27/08/09

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