The statement of the convicted Lockerbie bomber, Abdelbasset Ali Al Megrahis, upon his release from prison in Scotland, will likely not satisfy the surviving American or British relatives of the victims of the crime. To those who believe he is guilty, the only possible comfort they can find now is in the fact that he was convicted, spent years in a Scottish prison and now, upon his release, may soon die from prostate cancer.

Nevertheless. when he does finally die, it will be as a free man, in his native Libya.

Not being familiar with the case, I will not comment as to his guilt or innocence. He was caught on camera purchasing something, and this seems to be the main strength of the original case against him. Many dispute the veracity of the prosecution and the conviction, perhaps with good cause.

It is no great stretch of the imagination for me to believe that a Scottish court would go out of their way to secure a conviction whether the person it was most convenient to try was actually guilty or not. Nor would I find it any harder to believe from any other European court. Or for that matter an American one.

Some people are already crying conspiracy. Muammar Khadafi, the ruler of Libya, has strong ties to the man's family, and to his tribe. He is also sitting on a respectable supply of oil reserves, which might greatly benefit Scotland's energy needs.

However, whatever the case as to the guilt or innocence of this man, the time for outrage passed more than twenty years ago, when a morally weak and bankrupt US and Britain failed to attack Khadafi, who was in fact the truly guilty party of the case. The fact that he still after more than two decades retains his power over his country is testament to the weakness of the European and American alliance, and might well be considered Exhibit A as to why NATO should disband. To be fair, a few cruise missiles were launched, and Khadafi went into political hibernation, from that point on never to raise another stir. But it was still not enough. While we may or may not be about to witness the release from prison of a guilty man, or an innocent man, one thing is for sure. We let Muammar Khafafi get by with what was tantamount to a slap on the wrist.

By the way, there is one other factor here that calls for comment. I for one never realized that Scotland had enough autonomy from Great Britain to make such a decision. That's something anyway.