Some thoughts on Ali al-Megrahi

Well it looks as though the fuss over the Lockerbie bomber, Ali al-Megrahi is slowly dying down. But while it’s still in the news I wanted to pen a few thoughts that have been brewing over the last few weeks, that perhaps show some inconsistency and hyperbole in what’s going on:

• I wasn’t on the jury that convicted al-Megrahi (surprisingly), but the evidence presently looks somewhat tenuous…
• If al-Megrahi was indeed guilty, then it seems likely that he was sponsored or in some way directly or indirectly supported by the Libyan regime. With that in mind is it fair to make al-Megrahi a scapegoat while we make friends with Colnell Gadaffi…?
• Ronnie Biggs (a Great Train Robber) was also released from a prison sentence earlier this year on compassionate grounds… sure he didn’t kill 270 people, but he was English and didn’t upset any Americans, which also helps his case. But no-one that I heard claimed it was wrong to release Biggs.
• There’s talk of Brown making concessions to Libya for oil and trade deals… David Cameron came out stronly against this, saying he wouldn’t have released al-Megrahi. The reality is that if this was the case, Cameron would have, and he would have been right to if it was in the interests of the UK.
• Why should mercy be contradictory to justice?

“This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.”  -  Zechariah 7:9

“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face”  -  Psalm 89:14

The Mercy and Justice of God is most wonderfully displayed at Calvary… Jesus is crucified, he dies, taking the punishment for your sin and my sin – justice is served, but it’s also merciful, God pours his just anger at sin on himself, letting you go free into new life! Amen