[Vision2020] Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi Celebrates 58th Birthday

[Tom Hansen]

Remember Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi?

We know him better as the Lockerbie bomber who was released from a British
prison (due to his anticipated short-term demise), and who, on Thursday,
celebrated his 58th birthday.

Courtesy of the New York daily News at:

http://tinyurl.com/Abdelbaset-Al-Megrahi

------------------------------------------------------------------

Birthday bash for 'dying' Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi sickens
crash victims' kin

BY Bill Hutchinson
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

The Lockerbie bomber celebrated his 58th birthday on Thursday at a Libyan
mansion, defying the imminent death Scottish officials predicted when they
compassionately freed him from prison nearly eight months ago.

The thought of Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi partying with family and friends -
reportedly thanking God for his survival - left his victims' loved ones
sick to their stomachs.

"It's absolutely despicable. It's horrific because my daughter had only 20
birthdays," said Susan Cohen of Cape May, N.J.

Cohen's daughter, Theodora, a student at Syracuse University, was among
270 killed Dec. 21, 1988, when Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed in midair over
Lockerbie, Scotland.

"I actually had my birthday on the 27th [of March], and this is a pretty
awful late birthday present," said Cohen, 72.

Megrahi, the only terrorist convicted of the bombing, was sentenced to
life in prison in 2001 for assisting in the mass-murder bombing.

Diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer while doing time, Megrahi was
released in August by Scottish authorities, who were assured by doctors
that he had less than three months to live.

An ex-Libyan intelligence officer, Megrahi was given a hero's welcome
home, where he's been embraced by Libyan President Moammar Khadafy and has
apparently been on the mend.

"Since returning to the love of family and friends, he has made a
remarkable recovery," a diplomatic source told the (London) Daily Mail.

Last week, Megrahi blocked the public release of his medical records.

Jennie Monetti of Cherry Hill, N.J., said she didn't wish to discuss the
killer of her son, Richard, 20.

"He's not the important part," Monetti said of Megrahi. "My son and the
other 269 people were the important people."

She aimed her anger at the Scottish and British governments, citing
charges that Megrahi was released in a prisoner-for-oil deal between the
Brits and Libyans.

"I used to be a history teacher," Monetti said, "and what I saw happened
in Scotland back in August was what has always happened with Scotland.
They simply gave in to Great Britain."

------------------------------------------------------------------

Seeya round town, Moscow

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Unknown