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WH Confirms to Mediaite: Lockerbie Letter Had Input From Flight 103 Families

by Tommy Christopher | 5:04 pm, July 28th, 2010

» 10 comments

After initial reporting on US diplomat Richard LeBaron‘s letter to the Scottish government regarding the release of convicted Pan-Am Flight 103 bomber Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi turned out to be utterly false, a fallback criticism emerged. Since administration opponents could no longer claim they favored al-Megrahi’s release, they say the administration shouldn’t have given the Scots any choice but to leave him in a Scottish prison. At yesterday’s briefing, I asked Robert Gibbs if the families of the Flight 103 victims were consulted in preparing the letter.

While Gibbs didn’t have an answer to my specific question, he did take the opportunity to clarify, once more, the administration’s position on al-Megrahi’s release:

Today, however, a senior Obama administration official has confirmed that the priorities enumerated in the Lockerbie letter were arrived at after continuous consultation with the victim’s families, mainly through the Department of Justice. The official also confirmed that a copy of the letter was sent to Frank Duggan, president of Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, by Obama counterterrorism adviser John Brennan. To clarify, Brennan sent the letter to Duggan earlier this week, following the uproar over the Times story.

“Some of the families wanted him to rot in Scottish prison,” the official said, “and they didn’t want him released for treatment in Scotland unless he was at death’s door, but the last thing they wanted was for (al-Megrahi) to return to Libya to be treated like a hero.”

As Gibbs noted, this was the order of priorities given in LeBaron’s letter, wherein al-Megrahi’s release under any circumstances was opposed, but if (as Scottish law demands) he was to be released on “compassionate grounds,” the letter demanded an independent medical confirmation of his prognosis. Finally, if Scotland felt it had to release al-Megrahi, the letter urged them not to let him return to Libya, to a hero’s welcome.

This kind of criticism cuts both ways. Since the Scottish government chose to do none of what the letter asked, it’s just as likely that, had LeBaron sent the “My way or the highway” letter instead, administration critics would now be asking why they didn’t include a fallback option. In the final analysis, it’s hard to argue that the administration wasn’t better served by listening to the victims’ families, rather than their possible critics.

Since publication, the following clarification was added to this article: ” To clarify, Brennan sent the letter to Duggan earlier this week, following the uproar over the Times story.”

Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi, Alex Salmond, Dana Perino, fox news, Frank Duggan, John Brennan, Pan-Am Flight 103, Richard LeBaron, Robert Gibbs

lonestar77

Tommy wrote:
“In the final analysis, it’s hard to argue that the administration wasn’t better served by listening to the victims’ families, rather than their possible critics.”

I’d bet my house Tommy has a shortcut key for, “In the final analysis, it’s hard to argue that the administration…”. Afterall, when this administration says “jump”, Tommy says “how high”? Then he blames Sarah Palin & Rush Limbaugh when he bumps his head getting out of a taxi.
Jelperman

Why should Scotland or Libya or anyone else listen to the US Government, which harbors its own airline bombers?
http://www.facebook.com/people/James-Kelly/1386314129 James Kelly

It’s categorically untrue that the Scottish government did “none of what the letter asked”. Much of it was preoccupied with arguing that Megrahi should not be sent back to Libya under the Prisoner Transfer Agreement, and that compassionate release would be “far preferable”. It’s true that the US wanted conditions attached to compassionate release – ie. that Megrahi stay in Scotland – but it’s a convenient rewrite of history to suggest that Scotland paid no heed to the US government’s opinion at all.
MichelleF

Well, If Baghdad Bob said it, it must be true.
sarainitaly

So now they are throwing the victims families under the bus?

“Since the Scottish government chose to do none of what the letter asked, it’s just as likely that, had LeBaron sent the “My way or the highway” letter instead, administration critics would now be asking why they didn’t include a fallback option.”

Which is exactly why I said the letter was an CYA, not an adamant statement of opposition.

And still don’t explain why obama said:

“I think all of us here were surprised, disappointed and angry about the release of the Lockerbie bomber,’ he said.

‘We should have all the facts, they should be laid out there. I have confidence Prime Minister Cameron’s government will be co-operative.

‘The decision ran contrary to how we should be treating terrorists.”

when he knew all along.

http://www.mediaite.com/online/robert-gibbs-takes-on-inaccurate-report-that-white-house-backed-lockerbie-bomber-release/
sarainitaly

“And still don’t explain why obama said:” niiice.

OK, I think I wrote this at 3am…. Still *doesn’t* explain.
TfT

I bet Tommy is a member of journolist.
Thomas J – Libertarian

This is simply just disgusting. To paraphrase the NAACP, “we got snookered.”
BatBoy

Another White House Flop!

These people can’t even muster a “Flip” to “Flop”
frank duggan

Thanks for clearing up the phony story about the Administration agreeing to the release of Megrahi. However, the following comment is incorrect:

“Today, however, a senior Obama administration official has confirmed that the priorities enumerated in the Lockerbie letter were arrived at after continuous consultation with the victim’s families, mainly through the Department of Justice. The official also confirmed that a copy of the letter was sent to Frank Duggan, president of Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, by Obama counterterrorism adviser John Brennan. To clarify, Brennan sent the letter to Duggan earlier this week, following the uproar over the Times story.”

The first the victims families ever knew of this letter was when John Brennan released it to us on Sunday night, July 25th. We had no input into the drafting of this letter from Mr. LeBaron in 2009, which you probably inferred from Mr. Gibbs’ non-answer to your question. I doubt that anyone in the Administration, and especially the tight lipped Justice Department, said we were “in continuous consultation” about this letter.
Thanks for putting out one fire, but you might have started a new one.
All the best,
Frank Duggan, President
Victims of Pan Am 103, Inc.