The British pubic is up in arms over reports that the British government has signed a "judicial cooperation" agreement with Libya - fearing that the man convicted of masterminding the Lockerbie Pan Am bombing will get sent back to Libya:
Britain said on Thursday it had signed a deal on judicial cooperation with Libya, but it would not immediately lead to convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdel-Basset al-Megrahi being sent home to Libya to finish his life sentence...
The memorandum was signed in Sirte in Libya on May 29 at the start of Blair's farewell tour of Africa but, contrary to usual practice, was accompanied by no fanfare. The Foreign Office said the memorandum committed both sides to start negotiations soon and conclude them within a year. Subjects to be included were cooperation on criminal, civil and commercial law, extradition and prisoner transfer.
Aside from the immediate headline-grabbing controversy over al-Megrahi, just what does it mean for Britain and Libya to have judicial cooperation? What judicial standards for civil law will be used? Is England acquiescing to justice Qaddafi-style? Will public criticizing the Q-man now be grounds for imprisonment in Birmingham as well as Benghazi?
Perhaps the British Government will do anything it needs to insure British Petroleum holds on to that huge oil contract it just won with Libya.
Posted by: Vagabondblogger | June 10, 2007 at 10:04 AM