December 21, 1988: Port side of Pan Am Flight 103 forward of the wing showing the small 'bomb' hole and relatively smooth and intact fuselage skin around it.

“It is my decision that Mr Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, convicted in 2001 for the Lockerbie bombing, now terminally ill with prostate cancer, be released on compassionate grounds and allowed to return to Libya to die.” – Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, August 20, 2009

In every society and cultural group there is a system of accountability for the actions of the people. Some of these systems are liberal and decisive, while others are passive and forgiving.

In parts of Asia, including Indonesia and Malaysia, the death penalty is passed down for drug trafficking. There are laws that dictate one must have their hand amputated as a punishment for theft (Saudi Arabia), and laws that state that working for a company where one person possesses illegal drugs is enough for all of the employees to be tried for the same crime(Morocco).

The Hebrew people of Bible times lived their lives based on the law. A woman could be stoned for acts of adultery, and a person found guilty of murder was put to death. They believed that by carrying down these sentences not only were they fulfilling their religious law, but they were also maintaining stability in their society.

Today, the man responsible for the deaths of 270 people in the 1988 bombing of Pan-Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland was released from prison where he was serving a sentence that carried a minimum of 27 years imprisonment.

Abdel Baset al-Megrahi had served eight years of his sentence. Recently, al-Megrahi was diagnosed with terminal cancer and was given three months to live. Scottish authorities decided that with this new information they could release him on compassionate grounds, allowing him to live out his final days with his family in Libya.

As the plane carrying al-Megrahi touched down in Libya today, he was greeted with cheers by the crowed that had gathered. However, most people connected to the bombing were not as happy to see his release. Both President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued statements saying that they were “deeply disappointed” with the decision of the Scottish government.

Flight 103 was carrying 189 Americans on its final voyage, and thus, the United States has always had a vested interest in this case.

Many families who lost loved ones on that December day are outraged at this decision. They question if justice has truly been served. Has al-Megrahi been held accountable for his actions? Has he truly paid for what he has done?

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