Oil giant's shock revelation is the latest twist in a tale of politics, pollution, terrorism – and violent death
US NAVY/ GETTY IMAGES
A controlled fire burns oil in the Gulf of Mexico in May after the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded on 20 April, killing 11 men. BP will start deepwater drilling off the coast of Libya 'within weeks'
MORE PICTURESThe tortuous saga of BP, the Gulf of Mexico, the Lockerbie bombing and an America which feels itself badly wronged took another turn yesterday when it emerged that the oil company is about to start drilling at an even greater depth in, of all places, Libyan waters.
And, as that information was being absorbed, there came an announcement that Jack Straw, the former justice secretary, had declined an invitation to attend the upcoming US Senate hearing into possible links between BP and the release last August of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, who was convicted of the murder of 259 passengers on Pan Am Flight 103, and 11 Lockerbie residents. Megrahi, who was diagnosed with cancer, was put on a plane back to Tripoli after doctors said he had only three months to live.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is investigating allegations that the release, officially on compassionate grounds, was ordered in return for economic co-operation, including access to oil and gas fields. Tony Blair, former prime minister and "friend of Gaddafi", has also become embroiled in the affair.
No comments:
Post a Comment