Israel Matzav: Shocka: Lockerbie bomber has 'disappeared'

Shocka: Lockerbie bomber has 'disappeared'

Robert Spencer is right: You had to be a fool not to see this coming from a mile away.

Mystery surrounded the Lockerbie bomber last night after he could not be reached at his home or in hospital.

Libyan officials could say nothing about the whereabouts of Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi, and his Scottish monitors could not contact him by telephone. They will try again to speak to him today but if they fail to reach him, the Scottish government could face a new crisis.

Under the terms of his release from jail, the bomber cannot change his address or leave Tripoli, and must keep in regular communication with East Renfrewshire Council.

Politicians on both sides of the Atlantic and relatives of the 270 people who died in the 1988 bombing expressed anger about al-Megrahi’s disappearance.

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On Sunday evening The Times called at the bomber’s home in suburban Tripoli. A policeman sitting on a plastic chair outside was asked to deliver a message to al-Megrahi. He spoke no English, but indicated that al-Megrahi was not there.

The next day The Times visited the Tripoli Medical Centre where alMegrahi was treated soon after his return to Libya. The receptionists said he had left the hospital some time ago.

Back at al-Megrahi’s home, there was no sign of activity. One of three security officers sitting in a grey Mercedes car outside said: “They’ve all gone.” He refused to elaborate.

Alerted by The Times, Jonathan Hinds, of East Renfrewshire Council, tried to telephone al-Megrahi at his home yesterday. He spoke to a Libyan man who said al-Megrahi was too ill to speak to him.

Mr Hinds has called al-Megrahi every other Tuesday since August, and has always been able to speak to him. Yesterday was not one of the regular Tuesdays, so al-Megrahi would not have been expecting a call.

“We will continue to attempt to call Mr Megrahi tomorrow and will then consider the situation,” a council spokesman said. If there were grounds for suspecting al-Megrahi was breaching the terms of his release, “we would report that to the Scottish Government and it would be up to them to decide what action to take”.

And of course, the dhimmis are giving al-Megrahi the benefit of the doubt, speculating that maybe he really is too ill to come to the phone. But what action is the Scottish government going to take from thousands of miles away? Bomb Gadhafi's tent?

Releasing al-Megrahi in the first place was craven and foolish. The British and Scottish government deserve any public humiliation that arises from this. You don't release terrorists and certainly not to Libya. Come to think of it, I can think of a country in the Levant that needs to learn that lesson.

UPDATE 2:23 PM

Al-Guardian now reports that al-Megrahi has been found.

East Renfrewshire's criminal justice team continued efforts to contact Megrahi this morning, as a spokesman said they were prepared to refer the case to the Scottish government if officials were unable to speak to the Libyan.

However at about 9.30am today the council was able to speak to Megrahi on the telephone.

"In the last five minutes the criminal justice team have spoken to Megrahi at home in Tripoli," a spokesman for East Renfrewshire council said.

He said officials had no concerns regarding Megrahi's whereabouts and would not be taking the matter further.

Under the terms of Megrahi's release the Libyan must remain at the same address and is forbidden to leave Tripoli. He is required to stay in regular contact with East Renfrewshire council.

For now. Look for this to keep happening more and more often.

Israel Matzav: Shocka: Lockerbie bomber has 'disappeared'