10 mil each. Buying your way out of being a terrorist

[KillerMuffin]

Link: http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=worldnews&StoryID=1023367
Link: http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=worldnews&StoryID=1025497

Someone in the Libyan government--though Libya denies this--has made an offer to the Lockerbie Victims. 10 million dollars for each of the 259 victims on the plane and 11 residents of Lockerbie.

In 1988 a small number of Libyans connected to Libya's Jamahariya Security Organization placed a bomb on Pan-Am flight 103 which exploded over Lockerbie. Two were arrested, one was found guilty, the other freed. If there were any other conspirators they were not caught or brought to justice.

In 1996 the families sued Libya. Both the UN and US have imposed sanctions.

Now someone is either sincerely offering 2.7 billion dollars to the families, according to a New York law firm that states that they have been dealing with representatives from the Libyan government, or someone is offering a fantastical hoax.

Quoted from Reuters
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In a letter sent to Lockerbie victims' families, the firm of Kreindler and Kreindler said Libya would automatically release the money -- $10 million for each of the 270 families -- in batches from an escrow account as three conditions were met.

It said 40 percent of the money would be released when the now suspended U.N. sanctions against Libya were lifted, another 40 percent after U.S. commercial sanctions were removed and the remaining 20 percent handed over when Libya was taken off the U.S. list of states sponsoring terrorism.
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Hoax or not, this leads to a few questions.

Is this right? Can a Libya buy its way out of international condemnation for a clearly linked state sponsored terrorist act? Is that what this settlement offer is, a country buying its way out of crippling sanctions? Or is it a sincere offer of contrition? Does this change anything?

Do you think that acceptance of this offer would set a precedent? Would it be dangerous or not? Why?

Could this be applied to other terrorist situations? What would happen if Arafat offered a cash settlement to everyone who had been killed by a suicide bomber in exchange for land for his country? What if Al Qaida were to somehow manage to scrape up the cash and offer it for 9-11 in exchange for pull-out of Afghanistan?

 

[Weevil]

Well, Muff, I don't think this would "buy their way out of international condemnation"

When Michael Jackson paid off that Kid he didn't buy his way out of condemnation, just criminal charges. If the kid didn't want to take it, see his day in court, he would have. Not much more to it.

 

[TWB]

Is this right? Can a Libya buy its way out of international condemnation for a clearly linked state sponsored terrorist act? Is that what this settlement offer is, a country buying its way out of crippling sanctions? Or is it a sincere offer of contrition? Does this change anything?

Do you think that acceptance of this offer would set a precedent? Would it be dangerous or not? Why?

Could this be applied to other terrorist situations? What would happen if Arafat offered a cash settlement to everyone who had been killed by a suicide bomber in exchange for land for his country? What if Al Qaida were to somehow manage to scrape up the cash and offer it for 9-11 in exchange for pull-out of Afghanistan?

I don't think there is anything wrong with a settlement. Cash is a poor replacement for lost life, but that's about all you can do (other than what I have written below). There are suits filed and there has to be a way to resolve the problems.

The big problem I have is the terrorist state designation. I think lifting sanctions is appropriate IF the settlement dollars are sufficient and the activity is not continuing and the sanction has gone on for a sufficient duration. THere also should be some opportunity to work into a settlement demands for inspections and other verification measures.

The terrorist designation largely depends on their actions, so having monies tied to them stopping terrorism has counter-incentives for Libya. I don't think that can be part of a settlement unless they have already proven they are no longer a terrorist state and other appropriate triggers are in place and agreed upon by the parties to reintitute sanctions and terrorist designations if certain things do not happen.

(It may very well be that they have not supported terrorist activities in years, I do not know. )

Just my thoughts

 

[TWB]

BTW, there should also be some criminal sanctions applied regarding these acts, in addition to the civil penalties described above.

TWB (Terrorists will burn)

 

[weed]

So now is it up to the families whether sanctions are lifted? Seems like a dirty trick:

The families deserve some compensation although money never heals that kind of loss; if they accept it's like they have to forgive also, like absolving them from their sins; the middle man keeps Libya's government "innocent" of buying the families off; and should it really be up to the families, not whether to personally accept the $$ but whether sanctions should be lifted?

I wouldn't want that decision to make. And money I accepted under these terms would feel dirty....but I might take it anyway.

 

[morninggirl5]

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Hoax or not, this leads to a few questions.

Is this right? Can a Libya buy its way out of international condemnation for a clearly linked state sponsored terrorist act? Is that what this settlement offer is, a country buying its way out of crippling sanctions? Or is it a sincere offer of contrition? Does this change anything?

Do you think that acceptance of this offer would set a precedent? Would it be dangerous or not? Why?

Could this be applied to other terrorist situations? What would happen if Arafat offered a cash settlement to everyone who had been killed by a suicide bomber in exchange for land for his country? What if Al Qaida were to somehow manage to scrape up the cash and offer it for 9-11 in exchange for pull-out of Afghanistan?

Since the Libyan government is denying that any offer was made, it will eventually, i believe, become another political quagmire. According to one of the articles, Libyan businessmen were the ones to make the offer, ostensibly with the approval of the government.

As long as the government continues to deny any role in the bombing, i don't believe any concessions will be forthcoming from our government.