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View Full Version : Libya and Lockerbie: Did they do it?




diamond geezer
Feb 25, 2004, 02:19 PM
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/reports/misc/libya_20040224.shtml

LibyaÕs Prime Minister, Shukri Ghanem, has claimed that his country played no part in either the Lockerbie bombing or the shooting of WPC Yvonne Fletcher in London in 1984.

Mr Ghanem insisted that thereÕs no real evidence to prove that Libya was behind either act and his governmentÕs offer to pay compensation was made merely to Òbuy peaceÓ with the west.

Pressed on why his government has offered to pay $10 million dollars compensation to each of the victimÕs families he insisted that this was merely an effort to Òbuy peaceÓ following years of crippling economic sanctions and was no admission of guil

And from 2000..

http://www.sundayherald.com/8759

A FORMER CIA agent who claims Libya is not responsible for the Lockerbie bombing is being gagged by the US government under state secrecy laws and faces 10 years in prison if he reveals any information about the terrorist attack.

United Nations diplomats are outraged that the US government is apparently suppressing a potential key trial witness. Diplomats are now demanding that the CIA agent, Dr Richard Fuisz, be released from the gagging order. Fuisz, a multi-millionaire businessman and pharmaceutical researcher, was, according to US intelligence sources, the CIA's key operative in the Syrian capital Damascus during the 1980s where he also had business interests.


One month before a court order was served on him by the US government gagging him from speaking on the grounds of national security, he spoke to US congressional aide Susan Lindauer, telling her he knew the identities of the Lockerbie bombers and claiming they were not Libyan.

Lindauer, shocked by Fuisz's claims, immediately compiled notes on the meeting which formed the basis of a later sworn affidavit detailing Fuisz's claims. One month after their conversation, in October 1994, a court in Washington DC issued an order barring him from revealing any information on the grounds of "military and state secrets privilege".

When contacted by the Sunday Herald last night, Fuisz said when asked if he was a CIA agent in Syria in the 1980s: "That is not an issue I can confirm or deny. I am not allowed to speak about these issues. In fact, I can't even explain to you why I can't speak about these issues." Fuisz did, however, say that he would not take any action against a newspaperwhich named him as a CIA agent.

Congressional aide Lindauer, who was involved in early negotiations over the Lockerbie trial, claims Fuisz made "unequivocal statements ƒ to me that he has first-hand knowledge about the Lockerbie case". In her affidavit, she goes on: "Dr Fuisz has told me that he can identify who orchestrated and executed the bombing. Dr Fuisz has said that he can confirm absolutely that no Libyan national was involved in planning or executing the bombing of PanAm 103, either in any technical or advisory capacity whatsoever."

Fuisz's statements to Lindauer support the claims of the two Libyan accused who are to incriminate a number of terrorist organisations, including the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, which had strong links to Syria and Iran.

Lindauer said Fuisz told her he could provide information on Middle Eastern terrorists, and referred to Lockerbie as an Òexample of an unsolved bombing case that he said he has the immediate capability to resolveÓ.

Lindauer says Fuisz told her CIA staff had destroyed reports he sent them on Lockerbie. Lindauer also refers in her affidavit to speculation that the USA shifted any connection to Lockerbie away from Syria to Libya in return for its support during the Gulf war.

She added that Fuisz told her: ÒIf the [US] government would let me, I could identify the men behind this attack today. I could do the right thing É I could go into any crowded restaurant and pick out these men É I can tell you their home addresses É You wonÕt find [them] anywhere in Libya. You will only find [them] in Damascus. I was investigating on the ground and I know.Ó



toontra
Feb 25, 2004, 02:56 PM
Everything I have read over the past 14 years suggests that Libya wasn't responsible for the Locherbie bombing. I think this is a view shared by several of the victim's relatives.

But, hey, in this time of wars based on "intelligence", when does the truth ever stand in the way of international diplomacy. Libya were prepared to admit liability and pay compensation in order to have sanctions removed - that was an economic no-brainer. I doubt the guy serving 20 years in a Scottish prison thinks it's a price worth paying, though.

skunk
Feb 25, 2004, 05:42 PM
This is so tragically and utterly believable. So much lying, so little principle. And to think that this is all done in the name of that same "free society" that so many allied soldiers died to protect from lying propaganda and domination by an arrogant over-militarised superstate in WW2. :mad:

mactastic
Feb 25, 2004, 05:54 PM
Link (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4372636/)
Libya on Wednesday reversed its prime minister and confirmed that it was responsible for blowing up Pan Am flight 103 in 1988 and killing 270 people.

The statement by the Jamahiriya news agency could put back on track a plan by the Bush administration to let Americans travel to Libya.

The statement, which appeared on Libya’s web site, said Libya had helped bring two suspects to justice “and accepts responsibility for the actions of its officials.”

Referring to the statement by Prime Minister Shokri Ghanem that Libya had not acknowledged responsibility in a letter to the United Nations, the Libyan news agency said “recent statements contradicting or casting doubt on these positions are inaccurate and regrettable.”

skunk
Feb 25, 2004, 06:14 PM
Well they would say that, wouldn't they? :rolleyes: