Lockerbie bomber faces death in jail

THE Lockerbie bomber's health has deteriorated to the point that he may die before any decision is made about his release from jail, Scotland on Sunday has discovered.

Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi is believed to be no longer receiving treatment for his prostate cancer but having pain relief offered to those in the final stages of the disease.

Government sources confirmed yesterday that justice secretary Kenny MacAskill will not reveal his decision on whether or not to release the convicted terrorist this week, and may even take until the end of the month before showing his hand.

It raises the growing prospect that the Libyan will die in Greenock jail before his case is concluded, thereby freeing Scottish ministers from the dilemma over the bomber's fate.

The fresh development came amid growing confusion about the case, following reports last week that Megrahi would be released by Scottish ministers on "compassionate grounds", possibly in time for the Arab religious festival of Ramadan, which starts next weekend.

Megrahi's lawyers then announced they were dropping an appeal into his conviction, a move which prompted claims that a deal had been reached with Scottish ministers. Justice officials and the Crown Office were said to be concerned that evidence that might be heard at the appeal would throw the original conviction into doubt.

It had been widely expected that MacAskill would make his decision this week.

But Scotland on Sunday has been told that a decision this week "can be ruled out", as MacAskill is awaiting more submissions from the prison governor at Greenock and the Scottish Parole Board.

Meanwhile, Megrahi's health is said to be deteriorating fast. His lawyers said on Friday that his medical condition had become substantially worse in recent days.

The speculation that MacAskill had agreed to release Megrahi last week prompted widespread criticism from US relatives and the American government, with both Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and US attorney general Eric Holder urging the Scottish justice minister to keep Megrahi in jail.

Claims of a done deal were disputed yesterday by the president of the Victims of Pan Am Flight 103 group, Frank Duggan, who spoke to MacAskill last month.

From Washington, he said: "It is inconceivable to us that the Scottish Government would honour the request of Colonel Gaddafi, who ordered the bombing in the first place, to return the criminal to Libya for a hero's welcome."

It also emerged yesterday that one of the requests for Megrahi's release – via a prisoner transfer agreement – remains invalid because Scottish prosecutors are keeping open an appeal against Megrahi's sentence. The Crown Office appeal argues that Megrahi should have received more than the 27-year jail term he was handed at Camp Zeist in 2001.

Opposition parties last night said that MacAskill needed to explain what was going on to the Scottish Parliament.

Paul McBride, QC, a high profile member of the Conservative Party, said that Megrahi was being "fted as a celebrity" and a number of questions remained unanswered, leading to the suspicion that "some underhand, shoddy deal" was being done.

The Lockerbie bombing, in which 270 people died in the air and on the ground 21 years ago, remains Britain's worst terrorist atrocity.