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From Times Online
August 29, 2008

Gaddafi son says Lockerbie families were 'greedy'

Police and investigators look at what remains of the flight deck of Pan Am 103 on a field in Lockerbie

Times Online

Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's son has accused relatives of the Lockerbie bombing victims of "trading with the blood of their sons and daughters” in their demands for compensation.

Saif al-Islam al-Gaddafi, who is seen as the leading candidate to succeed his father as Libyan leader, said that the Lockerbie families were "very greedy” during negotiations over payouts for the deaths of loved ones.

Mr Gaddafi also told BBC2’s The Conspiracy Files that the Libyan government had only taken responsibility for Britain’s worst terrorist attack in order to get international sanctions lifted.

“You have to ask the families of the victims,” he said. “The negotiation with them, it was very terrible and very materialistic and was very greedy. They were asking for more money and more money and more money.”

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He continued: “I think they were very greedy and I think they were trading with the blood of their sons and daughters.”

But Dr Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora was one of the 270 people killed when Pan Am flight 103 from London to New York was blown up over Lockerbie, Scotland, on December 21, 1988, said the compensation received by relatives could never make up for the loss of loved ones.

He said: “I just wish that the needs of the relatives, namely a thirst for the truth and for justice would be attended to, rather than an alleged hunger for money. So far as many relatives I know would say, we would gladly repay any ’compensation’ money if we could just have our loved ones back.

“Financial ’compensation’ must remain in its inverted commas. Money cannot buy our families back.”

In a letter published in The Herald newspaper today, Dr Swire said the Libyan government’s admission of guilt for the Lockerbie bombing had allowed its economy to recover while giving the West access to the country’s oil industry.

“The Libyans have achieved what they want and Western commerce has got what it wanted too,” he said. “In this, many of us feel like pawns.”

It's a shame that an article about the Lockerbie compensation has not told us what the compensation figures are. I expect better of the Times.

Nick, London,

Saif al-Islam al-Gaddafi - What an appalling comment. You and your playgirl sister are an affront to decent people the world over. Gaddafi gave semtex to the I R A to kill people. Where is the apology for this, or doesn't killing people seem a big deal to you?

Richard, Kiev, Ukraine

Steve, Danbury USA, how about compensating to the same extent the lives lost by Iranians when the American warship mistook an Airbus for a fighter aircraft and shot it down ? That compensation should be 10 times this for sheer incompetence and cowardice displayed by the mighty US Navy.

John Taylor, London,

Lybia has accepted responsibility and must accept the burdens of that responsibility. The pain that the Lybians feel from departing with their money should be great. The price should be high. These lives were never for sale. They were stolen. The price should be punitive.

Steve, Danbury, CT, USA

If the relatives are concerned with their lost ones, why are they asking money to be increased so many times.

jack , london,

It's still far from certain the Libyans were even behind the Lockerbie bombing. The British and US media never seemed particularly bothered by this small detail.

Jonathan, Oxfordshire, England

If a loved one is priceless, then no price should be attatched to their loss. Make the financial 'compensation' equate to an estimated loss of earnings/income for the family, but anything that cannot be quantified should not have a £ figure attached to it.

Daniel T, Wellingborough,

Disgusting commment by a disgusting potential leader. There is no price in losing your loved ones. He should look at sorting out his country before he begins making rdiculous statements. I worry for the future of Libya.

steve wood, london, uk

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