DATE=04/06/99 TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP NUMBER=6-11227 TITLE=LIBYA FINALLY SURRENDERS THE LOCKERBIE SUSPECTS BYLINE=ANDREW N. GUTHRIE TELEPHONE=619-3335 DATELINE=WASHINGTON EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS CONTENT= INTRO: IT HAS TAKEN MORE THAN A DECADE, BUT THE MILITARY LEADER OF LIBYA, COLONEL MUAMMAR GADHAFI, FINALLY RELEASED FOR TRIAL THE TWO AGENTS BELIEVED RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BOMBING OF A PAN AM JETLINER OVER SCOTLAND THAT KILLED 270 PEOPLE. THE U-S MEDIA, WHICH HAS FOLLOWED THE STORY SINCE THE DECEMBER 1988 CRASH, AND THE TORTUOUS DIPLOMATIC PROCEEDINGS, WHICH FINALLY RESULTED IN THE HANDOVER, HAS BEEN QUICK TO RESPOND WITH COMMENT. WE GET A SAMPLING NOW FROM ______________ IN TODAY'S U-S OPINION ROUNDUP. TEXT: THE TWO SUSPECTS -- LAMEN KHALIFA FHIMAH AND ABDEL BASSET ALI AL-MEGRAHI -- ARE BELIEVED TO BE MEMBERS OF THE LIBYAN INTELLIGENCE SERVICE. /// OPT /// U-S AND BRITISH LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENTS WHO DID A PAINSTAKING INVESTIGATION OF THE CRASH, THINK THEY PLACED A SMALL BOMB ABOARD THE PLANE DURING A STOPOVER IN LONDON, WHERE THEY GOT OFF. /// END OPT /// THE PLANE BLEW UP OVER LOCKERBIE, SCOTLAND KILLING EVERYONE ON BOARD AND SEVERAL PEOPLE ON THE GROUND, WHERE IT MADE A HUGE CRATER IN THE SMALL VILLAGE. BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT, THE MEN HAVE BEEN TURNED OVER TO SCOTTISH POLICE FOR A TRIAL IN THE NETHERLANDS, BEFORE SCOTTISH JUDGES, AND UNDER SCOTTISH LAW. SHOULD THEY BE FOUND GUILTY, THEY WOULD SPEND TIME IN A SCOTTISH PRISON. WE BEGIN OUR SAMPLING OF COMMENT IN TEXAS, WHERE "THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE" WONDERS ON WHOSE ORDERS THE MEN WERE WORKING? VOICE: /// OPT /// IN TURNING ABDEL BASSET ALI AL-MEGRAHI AND AL-AMIN KHALIFA FHIMAH OVER FOR TRIAL, LIBYAN STRONGMAN MUAMMAR GADHAFI WINS SUSPENSION OF THE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS IMPOSED BY THE UNITED NATIONS AGAINST HIS COUNTRY FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS, ALTHOUGH UNILATERAL SANCTIONS BY THE UNITED STATES REMAIN IN PLACE. /// END OPT /// ... WHILE THE TRIAL IS A START TOWARD WESTERN-STYLE JUSTICE, FRIENDS AND RELATIVES OF THOSE WHO DIED IN [THE ... BOMBING] ... 259 PEOPLE ON BOARD AND ELEVEN PEOPLE ON THE GROUND ... ARE UNLIKELY TO LEARN THE COMPLETE TRUTH BEHIND THE TERRORIST ACT FROM ANY REVELATIONS [IN] COURT. ONE THING IS CLEAR. FOR THE TWO LIBYANS TO HAVE CONCOCTED THE BOMBING PLAN AND CARRIED IT OUT ALONE EXCEEDS RATIONAL BELIEF. TEXT: THAT SAME THEME DOMINATES "THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE'S" EDITORIAL, ENTITLED: "BUT WHO WAS THE MASTERMIND?" VOICE: FAMILIES OF THE 270 VICTIMS .... ARE RIGHT TO BE SKEPTICAL THAT ALL THOSE RESPONSIBLE WILL FINALLY FACE JUSTICE FOR THAT UNSPEAKABLE CRIME. /// OPT /// ... SOME RELATIVES OF THE DEAD ARE UNDERSTANDABLY DOUBTFUL THE PAIR IN CUSTODY ACTED ON THEIR OWN, WITHOUT OFFICIAL AUTHORITY. 'WE'RE TRYING THE CONCENTRATION CAMP GUARDS INSTEAD OF THE COMMANDANT. IN A SOCIETY SUCH AS LIBYA'S, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS TWO FREE-LANCERS GOING OUT ON THEIR OWN (TO) COMMIT AN ACT LIKE THIS,' SAID GEORGE WILLIAMS, PRESIDENT OF VICTIMS OF PANAM FLIGHT 103, WHOSE 24 YEAR-OLD SON GEORGIE WAS KILLED IN THE CRASH. WE SHARE HIS SUSPICIONS, /// END OPT /// BUT BY TURNING OVER THE SUSPECTS FOR TRIAL AT LEAST THE WORLD WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED AND TESTED IN COURT AFTER 10 YEARS OF DOUBT ANYONE WOULD EVER BE PROSECUTED. /// OPT /// LIBYA'S SURRENDER OF THE TWO PRIME SUSPECTS IS A STEP - - HOWEVER INCOMPLETE - - TOWARD SOLVING ONE OF THE CENTURY'S WORST ACTS OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. /// END OPT /// TEXT: IN SOUTH FLORIDA, "THE MIAMI HERALD" WRITES THAT IN TURNING OVER THE TWO SUSPECTS, SANCTIONS AGAINST LIBYA CAME TO AN END: VOICE: /// OPT /// IN LESS THAN A DAY, THE UNITED NATIONS REWARDED LIBYA FOR DOING WHAT IT HAD AVOIDED DOING FOR 3-THOUSAND-753 DAYS .... [ALLOWING] THE TRANSFER TO THE NETHERLANDS OF TWO LIBYANS SUSPECTED OF THE 1988 BOMBING OF PAN AM FLIGHT 103 OVER LOCKERBIE, SCOTLAND /// END OPT /// ...SUSPENSION OF THE SANCTIONS ... MEANS THAT LIBYA CAN ENJOY INTERNATIONAL AIR TRAVEL AND BUY BOTH WEAPONS AND OIL-PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT AGAIN. /// OPT /// MANY FAMILIES OF THE ...VICTIMS CONSIDER GADHAFI A CONSPIRATOR IN THE BOMBING. BUT HE WON'T STAND TRIAL WITH HIS TWO COUNTRYMEN. IS THIS JUSTICE? NO. BUT IT IS BETTER THAN NO TRIAL OF TWO BELIEVED RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS STILL SHOCKING ACT OF TERRORISM. /// END OPT /// /// OPT /// TEXT: "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES" CALLS THE SURRENDER OF THE MEN FOR TRIAL, A "PAYOFF IN RESPECTING GLOBAL LAW, " AND ADMITS THAT WHILE COLONEL GADHAFI REMAINS AT LARGE, THE TRIAL REMAINS A STRONG, HOWEVER LIMITED VICTORY FOR DIPLOMACY AND LAW. VOICE: IT'S TRUE THAT THE TRIAL MIGHT NOT LEAD ALL THE WAY TO THE PUPPET MASTERS OF THIS TRAGEDY; SYRIA AND EVEN IRAN HAVE BEEN SUSPECTED OF SOME ROLE IN THE LOCKERBIE CRASH, ALONG WITH LIBYA. BUT IT BOLSTERS THE RULE OF LAW, ALWAYS A DEVELOPMENT TO APPLAUD. /// END OPT /// TEXT: "USA TODAY," THE NATIONAL DAILY PUBLISHED IN A WASHINGTON, D-C SUBURB, CALLS IT "A VICTORY FOR DIPLOMACY." VOICE: ...IT'S A SIGHT FEW EVER EXPECTED TO SEE: (LIBYAN LEADER MUAMMAR) GADHAFI, NOTORIOUS FOR HIS ANTI-WESTERN TIRADES AND LINKED TO TERRORIST ACTIVITIES ACROSS EUROPE AND THE MIDDLE EAST IN THE '70S AND '80S, LETTING TWO OF HIS REPUTED SECRET AGENTS FLY OFF TO BE TRIED BY A SCOTTISH COURT SITTING IN THE NETHERLANDS. /// OPT /// .... WHETHER THE BOMB-PLOT EVIDENCE GATHERED IN AN EXHAUSTIVE ... SEARCH BY BRITISH AND U-S DETECTIVES STANDS UP IN COURT REMAINS TO BE SEEN. ... BUT AGAINST FRESH REMINDERS FROM KOSOVO OF HOW FEW TERRORISTS AND WAR CRIMINALS ARE EVER BROUGHT TO TRIAL, THE SUCCESSFUL DIPLOMATIC AND ECONOMIC SQUEEZE ON LIBYA IS GOOD NEWS FOR INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE. /// END OPT /// /// OPT /// TEXT: ON THE ISSUE OF THE WIDER RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE HEINOUS CRIME, "THE NEW YORK TIMES" ADDS: VOICE: EARLIER THIS YEAR [U-N SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI] ANNAN, WITH AMERICAN APPROVAL, ASSURED COLONEL GADHAFI THAT ONLY THE TWO SUSPECTS, NOT THE LIBYAN GOVERNMENT, WOULD BE PUT ON TRIAL. IN A LITERAL SENSE, THAT IS AS IT SHOULD BE. BUT MR. ANNAN'S ASSURANCE SHOULD NOT PRECLUDE QUESTIONING ABOUT WHO MIGHT HAVE ORDERED THE SUSPECTS TO CARRY OUT THE BOMBING.THERE REMAIN MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LOCKERBIE CASE, INCLUDING WHETHER SYRIA OR IRAN MAY ALSO HAVE PLAYED A ROLE. THE TRIAL SHOULD BE USED TO ESTABLISH A FULLER PICTURE ... /// END OPT /// TEXT: THAT CONCLUDES THIS SAMPLING OF COMMENT ON THE TURNOVER TO SCOTTISH AUTHORITIES IF THE NETHERLANDS OF THE TWO MEN SUSPECTED IN THE PAN AM JETLINERS BOMBING OVER SCOTLAND ELEVEN YEARS AGO. NEB/ANG/GE 06-Apr-99 12:11 PM EDT (1611 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .