COURT HOUSE — Susan Cohen, 71, of this community, appeared on the Today Show on Thursday, Aug. 13 to protest the possible release of Abdel Baset Ali al-Megrahi, who was convicted of the Dec. 21, 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.
Cohen’s 20-year-old daughter, Theodora, was one of 270 people killed in the terrorist bombing.
In October, Ali al-Megrahi, 56, a former Libyan secret service agent was diagnosed with prostate cancer that reportedly had spread to other parts of his body.
Officials in Scotland said they are considering early release for Ali al-Megrahi, who is serving a life sentence in a Scottish prison because he has terminal cancer, Ali al-Medgrahi could be freed as early as next week.
Cohen told the Herald in a phone interview Ali al-Megrahis release has more to do with oil then it does with cancer.
“It’s appalling. He is a mass murder,” said Cohen. “Theodora was my only child it has been horrible for us and the other families.”
Cohen says Libyan president, Muhamar Kadaffi has been attempting to have Ali al-Megrahi released for years and the terrorist’s cancer is just the latest reason.
Cohen believes now that Libya’s relations with the United States have changed largely in part to oil the attempt to release Ali al-Megrahi may happen with little interference from the U.S. government.
Kaddafi reconciled with the U.S. and its allies following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He renounced terrorism and voluntarily dismantled Libya’s secret program to develop nuclear weapons earning commitments from Britain and the United States to work together to contain the threat of international terrorism, according to published reports.
President Obama shook hands with Kaddafi as they posed for pictures ahead of a G-8 summit dinner hosted by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano in July. The diplomatic gesture was aimed at reaching out to controversial world leaders in an effort to improve the United States’ standing around the world, which Obama says was damaged by former President Bush’s unilateral diplomacy.
“The president shook Kaddafi’s hand. I wish he’d shake mine,” said Cohen. “I’d like to meet with him about this.”
Cohen says she finds it shocking a county that once sponsored terrorism against our country is now our ally.
“It makes me sick they bombed an American aircraft and now we’re friends with them. I wonder what would happen if Osama Bin Laden becomes the head of state of an oil rich country in the Middle East,” she said.
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