Assuming that Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi’s conviction, which was until his release yesterday being appealed against, for his part in an atrocity was correct it is completely understandable that those affected are angry at the decision, but it is also appropriate that yesterday’s decision was made by an impartial institution. Whereas in some cases Muslim law encourages the counsel of the victim and/or relatives of the victim when considering how to punish a criminal, in UK law the exclusion of those close to a crime from the process of meeting out punishment is embodied in its principles and its process in spite of constant attempts of the media and politicians to undermine the integrity of that process.

The showing of compassion by the Scottish legal system will no-doubt continue to be presented by many in the west as showing “weakness” were “strength” is required, and of being insensitive to the plight of the Lockerbie victims. In my opinion the decision to act with integrity and show compassion to one who has shown none to others will be appreciated politically by the Muslim world, will be seen as the kind of engagement in to which Obama spoke of entering before he became US President, and that without even trying to—absolutely as a side effect—will come to be seen as an important political step in improving east-west relations. MacAskill’s is no political act of appeasement; it is a human act of integrity, strength and compassion.