NJ, NY SENATORS WANT STATE DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATION INTO BP'S INVOLVEMENT IN LOCKERBIE BOMBER'S RELEASE
Menendez, Lautenberg, Schumer and Gillibrand send letter to Sec. Clinton
Yesterday, U.S. Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) called on the State Department to investigate reports that oil giant BP helped secure the release of convicted terrorist Abdelbaset al-Megrahi in order to finalize and expedite a $900 million offshore oil drilling deal with Libya. Evidence continues to mount indicating that al-Megrahi's release ten months ago constituted a gross miscarriage of justice. At the time, a medical team determined al-Megrahi had three months to live, which paved the way for his release; however, ten months later, it has been revealed that the doctors who made the prognosis received money from the Libyan government.
"Evidence in the Deepwater Horizon disaster seems to suggest that BP would put profit ahead of people - its attention to safety was negligible, and it routinely underestimated the amount of oil gushing into the Gulf," wrote the senators. "The question we now have to answer is, was this corporation willing to trade justice in the murder of 270 innocent people for oil profits? Answering this crucial question will help complete our understanding of the Scottish court's decision to release this murderer and will help us understand if BP might use blood money to pay claims for damage in the Gulf of Mexico."
A copy of the letter appears below. July 13, 2010Washington, DC 20520
Dear Secretary Clinton:
We write to urge the State Department to fully investigate the disturbing news reports linking BP to the deal that allowed for the release of convicted Pan Am Flight 103 bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds. The information that such an investigation would yield is important to fully determine the legitimacy of the decision to release this mass murderer and to fully understand the source of revenue streams for this corporation, which owes American taxpayers and coastal families billions of dollars. As you may know, in 2007, BP and the Libyan government agreed upon a $900 million oil exploration deal, following two visits to Libya over the course of three years by then-British Prime Minister Tony Blair. It was reported in September of last year that BP communicated to the British government concerns that possible delays in the release of al-Megrahi could throw the oil deal into jeopardy. Further raising suspicions about circumstances surrounding al-Megrahi's release, the son of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi has made statements alluding to the fact that oil interests were part of the discussions. Information about the release has become even more outrageous in recent days. Not only has this terrorist lived long past the three-month death prognosis that cleared the way for his release, but it has been revealed that doctors who gave the prognosis were paid by the Libyan government. Evidence in the Deepwater Horizon disaster seems to suggest that BP would put profit ahead of people - its attention to safety was negligible, and it routinely underestimated the amount of oil gushing into the Gulf. The question we now have to answer is, was this corporation willing to trade justice in the murder of 270 innocent people for oil profits? Answering this crucial question will help complete our understanding of the Scottish court's decision to release this murderer and will help us understand if BP might use blood money to pay claims for damage in the Gulf of Mexico. Thank you for your prompt consideration of this important request. Please do not hesitate to contact our offices if we can be of any assistanceSincerely,
ROBERT MENENDEZ FRANK LAUTENBERG KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND CHARLES SCHUMER United States Senate