Missing answers on release of Megrahi

Published on Saturday 27 February 2010 15:31

KENNY Farquharson has second thoughts on the release of Megrahi (Perspective, 21 February); I still have many unanswered questions in my mind.

The Scottish Criminal Cases Review Board had discovered evidence which gave grounds for a second appeal. If Megrahi had been transferred to Libya under the Prisoner Transfer Agreement, the appeal would have lapsed. But he was released on compassionate grounds so the appeal could have continued in his absence. But Megrahi specifically asked the Appeal Court to abandon the appeal. Did Kenny MacAskill's visit to Greenock prison have anything to do with this?

Did the grounds for the appeal contain doubts about the safety of the evidence relating to the timing device and the testimony of the Maltese shopkeeper Tony Gauci? If those doubts had been upheld would that have raised questions about the involvement of the CIA in providing evidence to the original trial?

If Megrahi's health had not been a factor and the appeal had proceeded to a conclusion and found the original conviction unsafe, what would have been the reaction in the United States? Dr Jim Swire and others believed the conviction was unsafe.

If MacAskill had invoked the Prisoner Transfer Agreement would Libya have honoured its terms and held Megrahi in a Libyan prison for the remainder of his 27-year term?

And if that requirement was ignored would the UK have been able to secure the return of Megrahi to Scotland to serve out his sentence?

I would love to think these questions will be answered one day, but I fear that is very unlikely.

Roger Salvesen, Grangemouth