I’ve no idea whether Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, the man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing, was guilty of that offence or not. There are certainly grounds for believing he was innocent, high among them the fact that the main witness against him is said to be living the high life in Australia bankrolled by US government money. Megrahi was also quite probably sacrificed by the Libyan leader, Colonel Ghadaffi, for the sake of normalising relations with Britain and the US at the time.

There are many aspects to the whole murky affair which are strange; not the least of which is Kenny MacAskill’s – in best Rev I M Jolly mode – peculiar invocation of a higher power. The only conclusion to be drawn overall is that nobody’s hands are clean.

However, and this is the key point, even if Megrahi was/is guilty, to show him compassion is to demonstrate a sense of morality, of decency, way above that of someone who places a bomb on an aeroplane in an attempt to kill everyone on it. That a provision for such a release exists in the Scottish justice system is something to be proud of.

In this regard the phrase “to temper justice with mercy” comes to mind. Surprisingly, as it’s more the sort of thing to be found in the New, it comes from the Old Testament; which tends to be more fire and brimstone, not to mention vengeful, on the whole.

Some of the American relatives of those killed on the plane have stated in interviews that, in letting Megrahi out of jail, justice has not been done. Well, it has; as the Scottish system allows for compassionate release. 28 out of 31 such appeals have now been granted in Scotland in recent times. (One of the three not allowed was an earlier one for Megrahi when his condition was not so serious as it now seems to be.)

In any case, to keep someone in prison when they have an illness that is terminal smacks to me of vengeance rather than justice. If vengeance was the equivalent of justice then the law would sanction vendettas.

There has also been a lot of outrage expressed over the reception afforded to Megrahi on his return to Libya. (Insert alert about reprehensible cultural stereotyping here.) Personally, I thought that for middle Eastern types the greeting was remarkably restrained.

The waving of saltires has been commented on in disapproving terms. The thing that struck me there was, who’d have thought there were any saltires at all in Tripoli?

But… especially to those Americans who are complaining about Megrahi’s welcome home. You do exactly the same!