Well, it's been six months...

[Skeptic]

...since the "terminally ill" Lockerbie bomber had been "compassionately" released. Hey, if we don't have compassion to mass murderers, we're just as bad as them, you know.

Still alive, eh?

Thought so.

Suckers!

 

[The Fool]

...since the "terminally ill" Lockerbie bomber had been "compassionately" released. Hey, if we don't have compassion to mass murderers, we're just as bad as them, you know.

Still alive, eh?

Thought so.

Suckers!

do you believe he is faking prostate cancer? Not terminally ill? what?

 

[Beerina]

 

[Ocelot]

I want to see Megrahi die and soon.

It's not that I believe in capital retribution, it's not that I have no doubts about his guilt. It's not that I object to backroom trade deals bargaining for political prisonaere. It's just I can't bear to Kelvin MacKenzie win a £500 bet.

I have just made a £500 bet with William Hill that Megrahi, far from dying within Kenny’s predicted time of three months from prostate cancer, will still be around a year from now, and I am certain I am going to clean up. Those images of him with his face covered by an oxygen mask on his hospital deathbed are all PR lies to get cowardly British politicians off the hook so come next May I am going to appear on television and radio stations and in newspapers giving my views that he was part of a conspiracy between London and Edinburgh which owed more to trade deals in a tent between that fool Blair and Gaddafi two years ago.

Actually I've changed my mind. I want to see Kelvin MacKenzie die and soon.

[For the purposes of those not blessed with a sense of humour I am not serious. I am not inciting anybody to kill anyone, I will certainly take no pleasure from seeing grieivng families whether they be Libyan, Scots or former editors of the Sun.]

 

[Hallo Alfie]

Hmmmmmmm
If he's still around in another 6 months my hmm will get even bigger. Maybe this big...
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Something a little fishy in Tripoli.

 

[The Fool]

Hmmmmmmm
If he's still around in another 6 months my hmm will get even bigger. Maybe this big...
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Something a little fishy in Tripoli.

I'll ask you the same question.

do you believe he is faking prostate cancer? Not terminally ill? what?

 

[McHrozni]

I'll ask you the same question.

do you believe he is faking prostate cancer? Not terminally ill? what?

I find it hard to believe that he would be able to do that. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer by the British doctors after all.

There are two possibilities ... one is that he's fighting the prostate cancer with reasonable success. This is unlikely, but if it was diagnosed early on, not impossible. The chance for a remission is unlikely, but living for months is not unheard of. That being said, he was expected to die within three months when he was released, so this case would have to be somewhat exceptional - again not impossible and not without precendens, but quite unlikely.

Another possibility is that his cancer was an excuse to release him and they inflated how bad it was. Perhaps it was discovered very early on and they claimed it was terminal to let him go. Why would UK do that is a mystery, however.

McHrozni

 

[Hallo Alfie]

I'll ask you the same question.

do you believe he is faking prostate cancer? Not terminally ill? what?

From what I've been reading he may have been released on ..er political grounds.
But he was released prior to receiving chemotherapy treatment:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...la-six-months-after-being-at-deaths-door.html

One leading prostate cancer specialist cast serious doubt yesterday on the wisdom of predicting that Megrahi had only three months to live – when a patient still had to undergo chemotherapy. Dr Chris Parker said it was extremely difficult to give an accurate prognosis for individual patients. "Studies show experts are very poor at trying to predict how long an individual patient will live for," he warned.

So was he "faking prostate cancer"?
No.

Was he "terminally ill"?
Well he's not dead yet and it sounds like his treatment is finished. If he is recovered, then clearly it wasn't terminal was it?

Was his release premature and for political purposes?
Hmmmmm.

What do you think?

 

[The Fool]

From what I've been reading he may have been released on er political grounds.
But he was released prior to receiving chemotherapy treatment:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...la-six-months-after-being-at-deaths-door.html



So was he "faking prostate cancer"? No.
Was his release premature and for political purposes? Hmmmmm.

well my view is that 99.9% of decisions at the political level are for political purposes....Political considerations would be part of this decision and most others..so if their expert advice was 3 months to live Should they wait for an Iron clad guaranteed lifespan? I don't think such a thing is possible.

But you did ask the question "Was his release premature and for political purposes" do you have an answer to your own question?

My answer would be "not enough information" on the premature bit. I don't have access to their medical advice. The "3 months" seems to be a reported figure. Personally I would have expected that the advice was probably a range with 3 months as the most likely estimate.

and the decision was a political one...They all are. But I see no evidence that it was a solely political decision as release of terminally ill prisoners is quite common and based on Judicial principles.

 

[lionking]

But I see no evidence that it was a solely political decision as release of terminally ill prisoners is quite common and based on Judicial principles.

Release of terrorists convicted of killing hundreds of people is hardly common (if indeed it has happened at all). The decision to release Megrahi was shameful and an insult to the relatives of victims.

 

[Professor Yaffle]

Release of terrorists convicted of killing hundreds of people is hardly common (if indeed it has happened at all). The decision to release Megrahi was shameful and an insult to the relatives of victims.

Not to the relatives of the victims who believe that his conviction was a miscarriage of justice.

 

[lionking]

Not to the relatives of the victims who believe that his conviction was a miscarriage of justice.

Conspiracy section that way.........

 

[dtugg]

If it was indeed a miscarriage of justice, he should have been released on those grounds. Releasing somebody convicted of killing hundreds of people just because he got sick is outrageous if you ask me. I am glad that my country is not "compassionate" enough to release say, KSM, if he someday develops cancer.

 

[chillzero]

I want to see Megrahi die and soon.

It's not that I believe in capital retribution, it's not that I have no doubts about his guilt. It's not that I object to backroom trade deals bargaining for political prisonaere. It's just I can't bear to Kelvin MacKenzie win a £500 bet.

What's the source (other than media) for the three months prediction?

I have some information (anecdotal, but hey) that may make you feel better. Prostate cancer is relatively unpredictable, and is painful. This time last year, six months after my dad's initial diagnosis of prostate cancer, doctors told him to go out and enjoy doing all the things he wanted to do, so that in five years time - when they thought he'd start slowing down - he wouldn't have any regrets. The cancer was spreading in areas the scans didn't pick up, and he died in September. He was in terrible pain from shortly before his diagnosis until his death. It eased slightly during chemo, but it was clear he was in pain ... and so much pain at the end that he couldn't bend to put his own shoes on.

The doctors can only give an opinion of what they think might happen based on information available at the time. They are not psychic, and diseases take their own courses.

I would suggest that the best thing would be to consign this man to history (those who believe his guilt) and not cast the spotlight of fame on him further. Those who consider he may be innocent may wish to allow him to die from this terrible disease in relative peace (given the pain it causes).

Those of a particularly vicious streak may take comfort from knowing that this man is not sitting somewhere having the life of Reilly. He is in pain, and he will die from this terrible disease. The pain is around the base of the spine and hips usually, which has an impact on everything a sufferer tries to do, since most movement affects this area (walking, bending, sitting, turning, lifting, etc).

 

[Hallo Alfie]

But you did ask the question "Was his release premature and for political purposes" do you have an answer to your own question?

My answer would be "not enough information" on the premature bit. I don't have access to their medical advice. The "3 months" seems to be a reported figure. Personally I would have expected that the advice was probably a range with 3 months as the most likely estimate.

My answer is a big "Hmmmm", and it may get bigger.

Release of terrorists convicted of killing hundreds of people is hardly common (if indeed it has happened at all). The decision to release Megrahi was shameful and an insult to the relatives of victims.

Yep

If it was indeed a miscarriage of justice, he should have been released on those grounds. Releasing somebody convicted of killing hundreds of people just because he got sick is outrageous if you ask me. I am glad that my country is not "compassionate" enough to release say, KSM, if he someday develops cancer.

Quite.

 

[Hallo Alfie]

What's the source (other than media) for the three months prediction?

Libyan doctors, the way I read it.

Those of a particularly vicious streak may take comfort from knowing that this man is not sitting somewhere having the life of Reilly. He is in pain, and he will die from this terrible disease. The pain is around the base of the spine and hips usually, which has an impact on everything a sufferer tries to do, since most movement affects this area (walking, bending, sitting, turning, lifting, etc).

Unless this part is true...

The man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing is living with his family in a luxury villa

However, one source involved in monitoring Megrahi's health suggested the bomber's condition has got no worse in the past six months.

The source said: "Megrahi is still the same as ever. His condition has not deteriorated. There is no sign of him dying any time yet but who knows? It's totally unpredictable."

 

[lionking]

I'm well aware of the effect prostate cancer can have on you, having had a scare last year. If I was a murdering terrorist though I don't think I would expect any merciful treatment due to this disease.

This was a political decision, nothing more.

 

[chillzero]

Unless this part is true...

I'm sorry, I don't see the part there that says he is not in any pain, or not suffering - can you highlight it?

I'm well aware of the effect prostate cancer can have on you, having had a scare last year. If I was a murdering terrorist though I don't think I would expect any merciful treatment due to this disease.

This was a political decision, nothing more.

Oh, I agree.
I just don't understand why some people seem to be handling it almost on the basis of a personal affront. Ignore him, and leave him to die. At least he won't be costing UK taxpayers the costs of treatment and incarceration any longer.

(I'm sorry you had such a scare, but very glad to infer from that that you are doing fine)

 

[Hallo Alfie]

I'm sorry, I don't see the part there that says he is not in any pain, or not suffering - can you highlight it?

Don't get me wrong. I have no inside knowledge on this one way or the other. For all I know he is in pain.
I will have a better understanding (as will the world) when he dies - hopefully presumably soon if he is genuinely 'terminal'.

I also assume from your comments you feel he should have been released - at least on compassionate grounds. But was/is he innocent also, and/or justified in killing hundreds? You seem to be siding with him to me.

 

[chillzero]

Don't get me wrong. I have no inside knowledge on this one way or the other. For all I know he is in pain.
I will have a better understanding (as will the world) when he dies - hopefully presumably soon if he is genuinely 'terminal'.

Why does it make any difference to you personally what happens to this one individual?

I also assume from your comments you feel he should have been released - at least on compassionate grounds. But was/is he innocent also, and/or justified in killing hundreds? You seem to be siding with him to me.

Not at all. I don't think the decision to release him was appropriately made - I stated this quite clearly above.
I don't know if he is innocent, and I certainly do not believe he was remotely justified in what he did if he is guilty. There is no 'side' to take here, because I don't have access to the things that would confirm his guilt or innocence, or the state of his health at the moment. The only reason this thread was started was to complain that a man diagnosed with prostate cancer has not yet died.

I simply don't take pleasure in the pain of others.