al-Megrahi timeline

20 August - Justice secretary Kenny MacAskill announces that Megrahi is to be returned to Libya on compassionate grounds.

21 August - The UK and the United States condemn the "hero's welcome" given to Megrahi as he arrives in Tripoli to cheering crowds.

22 August - Libyan television shows pictures of Col Gaddafi meeting Megrahi and praising prime minister Gordon Brown and the UK government for their part in securing his freedom. Mr Brown says later he is "repulsed" by Megrahi's welcome in Libya and insists the British government had no role in the decision to free him.

26 September - Col Gaddafi insists no deal was done to secure the release of the only man to have been convicted in connection with the Lockerbie bombing.

2010

20 August - On the first anniversary of Megrahi's release, US senators say a "cloud of suspicion" remains over the decision to return him to Libya. They call for an inquiry.

19 October - More than 1,200 people back an independent inquiry into Megrahi's conviction in a petition lodged at the Scottish Parliament.

2011

31 January - A diplomatic cable obtained by the WikiLeaks website shows that advice was given to Libya by a British government minister on how to secure Megrahi's release.

23 February - Libya's former justice minister, Mustafa Abdel-Jalil, who stepped down in protest against anti-government demonstrations, tells Swedish newspaper Expressen he has proof that Gaddafi ordered the Lockerbie bombing.

31 March - Libyan foreign minister Musa Kusa apparently defects to Britain, saying he is "no longer willing" to represent the dictator. Scottish prosecutors say they want to interview him in connection with the Lockerbie case.

26 July - Megrahi appears in a televised pro-government rally in Libya.

14 August - A Libyan government official says Megrahi's cancer has spread to his neck.