MacAskill in offer to meet Megrahi

Published on Saturday 11 July 2009 20:00

JUSTICE Secretary Kenny MacAskill has offered to meet the Lockerbie bomber in prison as he decides if the convicted mass murderer ought to be allowed home to Libya.

The Justice Minister has indicated he is willing to visit Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi in HMP Greenock, where he is serving life for murdering 270 people killed when Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie 20 years ago.

The invitation has been extended by MacAskill at a time Libya is trying to exert diplomatic pressure on Britain to have the bomber repatriated.

The visit has been suggested by MacAskill as he carries out a consultation exercise with those involved in the case. He has met American and British relatives as well as Libyan Government officials.

A Scottish Justice Department spokeswoman said: "Mr MacAskill has offered to hear representations from Mr Megrahi. That offer only went this week, but it could be by letter or in person."

Megrahi's solicitor Tony Kelly said his client had not decided whether to take up the offer.

Yesterday it was reported Megrahi has signed a document agreeing to drop the appeal against his conviction if MacAskill allows him home to Libya. Megrahi was said to have handed the document to the Libyan Government, telling them not to hand it over until Scottish ministers have agreed to his transfer back home.

Kelly said: "I'm not going to say (anything] about the document at all. All I can say is that there is no impasse and I don't think that if the document exists, it would create an impasse." He claimed the correct chronology was for Scottish ministers to decide if the transfer should go ahead in principle before dealing with the conditions of the transfer.

Under the Prisoner Transfer Agreement between Britain and Libya, a move would only happen if Megrahi dropped his appeal. MacAskill is expected to decide in August if Megrahi should be returned.

If Megrahi leaves Scotland, there would be an outcry in the United States, where the overwhelming majority of the families of the 189 US victims believe he is guilty of the atrocity and should serve his sentence in a Scottish prison.

But the prospect of a MacAskill visit was welcomed by those who believe Megrahi has been the victim of a miscarriage of justice.

Professor Robert Black, the legal expert who helped set up the Scottish Court in Holland that convicted Megrahi, believes he is innocent. "I don't see any objection to MacAskill meeting with him," he said.

Megrahi's appeal has been delayed because Lord Wheatley, one of five judges at a hearing in May that dealt with the first part of the appeal, is recuperating from heart surgery and will not resume his judicial duties until mid-September.

His defence team has warned that Megrahi is now so ill with terminal prostate cancer that the delay means he may not live to see the conclusion of the appeal. Supporters have suggested he be granted compassionate leave – a move that would allow his appeal to continue.

Meanwhile Libyan leader Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi last week pressed Gordon Brown over Megrahi's future. The Prime Minister reminded Gaddafi that the decision was a matter for Scottish ministers.

If Megrahi were allowed home, the move would please Libya and ensure his conviction remained safe. But the sight of Megrahi walking out of jail would inflame the US.

Frank Duggan, president of the Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, condemned Gadaffi for calling on Megrahi to be returned to Libya. "How can you consider sending someone home at the request of the person, who sent him off to do the bombing," he said.

The US families had a video talk with MacAskill from Washington's British Embassy last week. They said they were convinced Megrahi was guilty.