The British government today warned Libya not to celebrate the return of the Lockerbie bomber today on the first anniversary of his release from a Scottish jail.
Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi was freed from Greenock prison on compassionate grounds on August 20th last year following his diagnosis with terminal prostate cancer. The bomber returned to jubilant scenes in Libya where he remains alive, despite being given three months to live.
The government said the decision by Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill to release the only man convicted of the 1988 Pan Am jet bombing was a mistake. The Foreign Office warned today that any celebration of his freedom would be "tasteless, offensive and deeply insensitive".
A spokeswoman said: “The Government is clear that Megrahi’s release was a mistake. Both the current prime minister and the Foreign Secretary made this clear at the time. Particularly on this anniversary we understand the continuing anguish that Megrahi’s release has caused his victims, both in the UK and the US.
"Any celebration of Megrahi’s release will be tasteless, offensive and deeply insensitive to the victims’ families. We have made our concerns clear to the Libyan government," the spokesman said.
However the Scottish Government continues to defend the decision to free Megrahi as opponents demand the publication of more medical evidence be published.
US senators want to hold their own inquiry amid concerns that his release was tied to a BP oil deal with Libya - a suggestion that has been strongly denied by all parties involved.
There have been renewed calls for an inquiry into the 2001 conviction itself, with pressure group Justice for Megrahi claiming he may have been the victim of a “spectacular miscarriage of justice”.
Scotland’s First Minister today defended the doctor whose prognosis led to the release of the Lockerbie bomber on compassionate grounds.
Alex Salmond said Andrew Fraser, director of health at the Scottish Prison Service, followed a process of “complete integrity”. He said that no one should “seriously doubt either his professional or personal integrity”.
Mr Salmond told BBC Radio Scotland it was Dr Fraser’s job to “compile and to present a prognosis based on the medical notes, that is the case records, from the range of people involved in Mr Megrahi’s case”.
“The person responsible is the director of health for the Scottish Prison Service. This is a physician of great experience and I don’t think anyone should seriously doubt either his professional or personal integrity.”
Mr Salmond said the same procedure has been followed in all of the 40 cases reviewed in the last 17 years. During this time there have been four cases of people surviving beyond one year.
Mr Salmond said there was only one medical report on prognosis in existence - and that is the one produced by Dr Fraser.
PA