Commentary 2

I’m very sure all Singaporeans will agree that terrorists are a huge threat to the general safety of the public. If an infamous terrorist were to be on the loose, most people will be more alert, and countries will step up their security. However, what if one such terrorist was to be set loose by the government of another country? Such is the case in the recent hoo-hah over the decision made by the Scottish Government to release the Lockerbie bomber Al Megrahi, an ex-Libyan intelligence officer. Scotland’s Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, in a move which has both won approval and criticism, decided to release Al Megrahi on Thursday, 20 August, citing compassionate grounds because of Al Megrahi contracting prostrate cancer. While both the supporters and criticisers of this move believe that such a move will generate too much a controversy, the supporters believe this controversy will help them and also demonstrates that certain governments have the “courage and honor” to treat terrorists as fellow human beings while criticisers attack the political manoeuvrings around this move, and generally show outrage at the decision. However, it is clear that there is a political undercurrent when noting the given reasons for the release, the reactions of the Libyans, and the reasons given in criticisms made by influential people.
It is obvious that prominent governments have expressed their dissatisfaction in the decision because it is a “false sign to the terrorists that governments are becoming lax on the issue of national security”. Al Megrahi’s release was met with outrage by families of the U.S. victims of the Lockerbie bombing and criticized by President Barack Obama as "highly objectionable." This can be attributed to the fact that the grief of the families of the U.S. victims are so great, Al Megrahi was like “a caged beast being let out” to them. Other reactions include, most notably, the reacion of the Federal Bureau of Investigation director Robert Mueller, who has sharply criticised Scotland’s justice minsiter for releasing the bomber stating that it was an “inexplicable” act that “gives comfort to terrorists” around the world and makes a “mockery of rule of law”, demonstrated by the Libyan citizens welcoming . It should be noted that the tone of the letter he sent to Kenny MacAskill was out of character for the normally reserved FBI director, and this possibly implies that his anger and outrage was both professional and personal. This can be inferred from the fact that Mr Mueller led the investigation to the 1988 airplane bombing that killed 270 people, most of them Americans, over the Scottish town of Lockerbie.
However, Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond told BBC Radio that it was wrong to assume that all those affected by the bombing were opposed to al-Megrahi's release. "I understand the huge and strongly held views of the American families, but that's not all the families who were affected by Lockerbie," Salmond said. "As you're well aware, a number of the families, particularly in the U.K., take a different view and think that we made the right decision." This was based on humanitarian grounds that Al Megrahi should “die in his own country” as he had only three months to live. This, according to the Scottish government, is enough to release a dying terrorist from prison. This was not a “mockery of rule and law”. However, it shows that the Scottish government is capable of thinking rationally and consider health reasons to make such a decision.
In conclusion, the two sides of the argument have their own reasons, their own beliefs, and their own stand in this controversy. Differing views, though clashing in viewpoints, just shrouds the entire topic in a thicker veil of mystery and controversy. Perhaps such issues are best left to the politicians themselves.