By Andrew Polino
Buffalo, NY – U.S. Senator Charles Schumer is calling for a criminal investigation of BP for its alleged role in the release of Libyan terrorist involved in the bombing of Pam Am Flight 103.
Schumer says that evidence strongly ties the British government's decision to release Abdel Baset al-Megrahi with BP's lobbying to trade Libyan prisoners for oil access.
Schumer appeared in downtown Buffalo Monday to call for the investigation. He also said that BP can be prosecuted under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, a law that prohibits corporations from giving anything of value to influence foreign government decisions.
"If BP lobbied the British government to release al-Megrahi in order to cozy up to the Libyan government and get access to the oil fields, that's exactly the type of behavior the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act makes illegal. Under this scenario the thing of value, which is the key element of the crime, would be the lobbying that BP has already admitted it did on behalf of Libya," said Schumer.
al-Megrahi was imprisoned in 2001 for his involvement in the 1988 bombing of Pan-Am Flight 103 but was released last year after being diagnosed with cancer.
Senator Schumer also says that UK Prime Minister David Cameron's recent statement that Britain's actions in the al-Magrahi case were "completely and utterly wrong" brings hope of opening an investigation.
"We have asked the British government to launch a criminal probe, and we've gotten back silence. But with the strong words of the Prime Minister today, we're very hopeful that maybe they can do their own investigation. But whether Britain does an investigation or not, we want our government to do so. That's what I've asked the Attorney General to do, and I will be constantly on his case until he does launch an investigation," said Schumer.
Schumer says BP has so many assets in the U-S, they are open to prosecution under federal law.