Civil?

This is coolbert:

From the Chicago Tribune today:

"NATION & WORLD"

"IRELAND"

"British to back IRA victims"

"DUBLIN - - Britain's sudden decision to support a lawsuit against Libya by Irish Republican Army victims raised home Monday that thousands maimed or bereaved by IRA bombs might one day receive compensation."

"Libya admits it shipped hundreds of tons of weaponry to the IRA in the mid 1980's. Lawyers say they expect the regime of Col. Moammar Gadhafi to pay $16 million to each person."

Comments:

* "Hundreds of tons of weaponry"! Hundreds of tons is an exaggeration? I have seen reports in the newspapers that tons were probably shipped by the Libyans to the IRA. Including a lot of explosives. Nonetheless, that amount of equipment demonstrates a real commitment by the Libyans and the Colonel to create mayhem within Northern Ireland and England. That the Libyans were so willing to engage in contacts with and aid and abet the IRA to the extent that they did surprises many people?

* This is the novel approach that has been sparingly used by those seeking redress for those "maimed or bereaved" by the IRA [or any terrorist organization for that matter], and doing so by using civil lawsuits rather than criminal prosecutions. The Libyans will have to be shown to have helped to "establish a climate" that led to the terrorist bombings of the IRA! And surely, supplying high explosives [Semtex] is "aiding and abetting", and "helping to establish a climate"!!

* That amount of $16 million each for "thousands" is A LOT by any standard! Exact number of "thousands" is not specified. Two thousand persons "maimed or bereaved" would amount to $32 billion total!

But collecting is a totally separate matter! Winning a settlement in civil court is one thing, collecting is an entirely separate affair.

And all this will be foreign to the Libyan? A concept, suit in civil court, alien to their culture and legal system? The Muslim concept of "blood money" applies here?

The chickens are coming home to roost??!!

coolbert.