20/08/2010

Lockerbie Bomber's Release Defended

Scottish Justice Secretary Kenneth MacAskill has defended his decision to release the Lockerbie bomber on compassionate grounds.

Speaking on the first anniversary of the release of Libyan Abdelbasset Ali al-Megrahi, Mr MacAskill said that he had "acted appropriately" and stood by his decision.

Megrahi was released from prison in Scotland last year, after serving nearly ten years for the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, which exploded over Lockerbie in December 1988, killing 270 people.

He had been suffering from prostate cancer and at the time of his release he was expected to have only three months to live.

He was greeted with a hero's welcome when he returned to Tripoli.

The UK government has urged Libya not to celebrate the anniversary of Megrahi's release.

The decision to release Megrahi has been criticised by US President Barack Obama and also questioned by Prime Minister David Cameron.

A group of US senators have also called for information regarding the medical evidence in the case, as well as an independent investigation into Megrahi's release.

It has also emerged that two senators are preparing to release what they claim is evidence that there was "commercial pressure" behind his release.

(KMcA/BMcC)

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