MacAskill faces probe over Megrahi

Published on Tuesday 22 September 2009 22:09

KENNY MacAskill's handling of the release of the Lockerbie bomber is to be investigated by the Scottish Parliament's justice committee.

The inquiry will examine the processes followed by the justice secretary and the Scottish Government that led to Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi being freed from HMP Greenock on compassionate grounds.

The justice committee agreed last night to carry out a "short" inquiry. It will not look at whether Mr MacAskill's decision was the right one, but will focus on the procedures undertaken to arrive at it.

Since Megrahi was allowed home to Libya, doubts have surfaced about the medical evidence which suggested that his terminal prostate cancer was so advanced that he only had three months to live – a prognosis that was essential for his release.

Last night, Bill Aitken, the Conservative justice spokesman, said: "This inquiry will be an opportunity for the Scottish Government to allay the concerns which many hold regarding the processes followed in the decision to release the Lockerbie bomber – irrespective of the rights and wrongs of the decision itself."

The remit for the inquiry will be agreed next Tuesday at the justice committee's meeting.

Earlier the US ambassador to Britain, Louis Susman, said the decision would not affect America's relationship with Scotland, despite the anger of the families of American victims.

Despite calls from them for boycotts of Scottish products and visits to Scotland, Mr Susman said it would not affect US business and tourism when dealing with Scotland.

Mr Susman said: "I don't think people will stop playing golf in Scotland and stop drinking Scotch whisky.

"I'm certainly not going to stop doing so."

Mr Susman, however, reiterated the US view that Megrahi's release was a mistake:

"We did not think it was appropriate we told them (the British and Scottish governments( we did not think it was appropriate, we continue to feel it was not appropriate and the British and Scottish Governments know that," he said.

But he added that the move was "not going to sink the special relationship in any measure".