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Allied Pilots Association Denounces Scotland’s Release, Libya’s Welcome of Convicted Lockerbie Bomber

Dépèche transmise le 21 août 2009 par Business Wire

Allied Pilots Association Denounces Scotland’s Release, Libya’s Welcome of Convicted Lockerbie Bomber

FORT WORTH, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Allied Pilots Association (APA), certified collective bargaining agent for the 11,500 pilots of American Airlines (NYSE: AMR), issued the following statement regarding the Scottish government’s decision to release convicted terrorist Abdel Baset al-Megrahi from prison.

“On behalf of the pilots we represent and the passengers we are charged with protecting, we oppose in the strongest possible terms the release of convicted terrorist Abdel Baset al-Megrahi from prison,” said APA President Captain Lloyd Hill. “Has anyone forgotten that this individual was found guilty of playing a hands-on role in the murders of 270 innocent people? APA is baffled and disgusted that any civilized country would grant a convicted mass murderer his freedom, much less give him a hero’s welcome. As evidenced just a few scant years ago on Sept. 11, 2001 — a day when 33 American Airlines and United Airlines crewmembers were brutally murdered, along with thousands of other innocent people—terrorism remains the scourge of civilized society. Granting a mass murderer such as Abdel Baset al-Megrahi his freedom sends the exact wrong message to all other would-be terrorists.”

That is the full text of APA’s statement.

Abdel Baset al-Megrahi was previously sentenced to life in prison by a Scottish court for his involvement in the downing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland on Dec. 21, 1988. He had served eight years before being released on “compassionate grounds” due to a diagnosis of terminal cancer.

Founded in 1963, the Allied Pilots Association—the largest independent pilot union in the U.S.—is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. APA represents the 11,500 pilots of American Airlines, including 1,892 pilots on furlough. The furloughs began shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Also, several hundred American Airlines pilots are on full-time military leave of absence serving in the armed forces. The union’s Web site address is www.alliedpilots.org. American Airlines is the nation’s second-largest passenger carrier and fifth-largest cargo carrier.