Alex Massie Alex Massie

Megrahi Release Explained: He’s a Rangers Fan

Roddy Forsyth deserves our congratulations for revealing this:

One of the unforeseen consequences of Abdelbaset Ali Al-Megrahi’s incarceration in Greenock Prison was that, by his own account, in whiling away the hours by watching live football on the now-defunct Setanta network he became a Rangers supporter.

No surprise that a man convicted of the worst terrorist atrocity in British history would forsake his local team – Morton – to support one of the Gruesome Twosome*. He and Rangers deserve one another.

This, mind you, could run and run. Just as Celtic and Rangers supporters have co-opted other conflicts for their own ends (Huns** Rangers waving Israeli flags; Tims** Celtic sporting PLO banners) so perhaps the “MacAskill was right” debate will ultimately come down to which putrid Glasgow football team you support. Of course, you’re more likely, as a pal points out, to see the Saltire flying at Tripoli airport than at Ibrox…

Then again, I did like the contribution of a Rangers-minded friend:

Another telltale clue that he may have been innocent.

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