MacAskill to hear rival pleas to decide fate of Megrahi

Published on Sunday 5 July 2009 22:12

KENNY MacAskill, Scotland's justice secretary, will this week hear opposing pleas from Libyan officials and American families of Lockerbie victims as he considers the fate of the man convicted of blowing up Pan Am flight 103, killing 270 people.

Libyan officials will fly to Scotland to meet with Mr MacAskill, who is considering a request to allow Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi to return home.

Megrahi is seriously ill with prostate cancer and is in Greenock Prison serving 27 years for his part in the Lockerbie bombing.

Libyan government officials are expected to press the case for Megrahi to be allowed home to die under a prisoner transfer agreement.

Such a move would require Megrahi to scrap an appeal against his conviction that is currently being heard.

Ten days ago, Mr MacAskill had what was described as a "brief and to the point" telephone conversation with US Attorney General Eric Holder as part of the consideration of the prisoner transfer application.

The consultation will see Mr MacAskill hear vehement appeals from families of Americans who died in the bombing to refuse the application. The justice secretary is expected to hold a video conference with a number of relatives this week.

The latest stage of Megrahi's appeal will be held at the Appeal Court this week, when a procedural hearing takes place over the sharing of documents between Crown and defence counsel.

"As part of my thorough consideration of the Prisoner Transfer Agreement submitted by the Libyan government on behalf of Megrahi, I want to ensure I have the relevant information available to me before reaching decisions," Mr MacAskill said.

"Hearing these representations is a key part of that process," he added.