Libya's ousted dictator, Muammar Gaddafi, has indicated to the rebels that he wants to talk about forming a new government. I don't think he's quite grasping the state of affairs in his country. He is out, and will never be able to come back in any capacity. This evening's film footage of charred corpses at various locations across Tripoli would be enough reason in itself. Not to mention the 50,000 prisoners that are unaccounted for. These were people that were arrested following the start of the uprising on 17 February this year.
The transitional government of Libya (TNC), which has now taken over from Gaddafi, has refused point-blank to even consider extraditing Abdelbaset al-Megrahi. He is the sole man ever convicted over the bombing of PanAm flight 103 over Lockerbie on 21 December 1988. Al-Megrahi was jailed in Scotland, but released on compassionate grounds two years ago. He was suffering from terminal cancer, and given only three months to live. To the embarrassment of the Scottish Government, Al-Megrahi is still alive - although looking very gaunt. This weekend, the TNC announced that it would never extradite the Lockerbie bomber to either the UK or USA. And why should they? Al-Megrahi has been tried, found guilty and sentenced. He has been released on license, sent home to die. By law, you cannot be tried twice for the same offence, unless new evidence comes to light. The Americans agreed to have Al-Megrahi put to trial the way he was, a decade ago. So I agree with the TNC that Al-Megrahi can stay in Libya. To die.
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