Attorney General Eric Holder released a statement today on the release of Pan Am 103 bomber Abdel Basset Mohamed al-Megrahi, saying, “The interests of justice have not been served by this decision.” Scottish officials released the bomber early from his life sentence because he has terminal cancer.
We are extremely disappointed with the Scottish Executive’s decision to release Abdel Basset Mohamed al-Megrahi. The interests of justice have not been served by this decision. There is simply no justification for releasing this convicted terrorist whose actions took the lives of 270 individuals, including 189 Americans. Megrahi did not show and has not shown compassion for innocent human life, and as we communicated to the Scottish authorities and the UK government, it continues to be our position that he should have been required to serve the entire sentence handed down for his crimes. Our deepest sympathies go out to the families of those whose loved ones were killed in 1988 due to Megrahi’s vicious actions.
