Megrahi campaigners criticised as Lockerbie marks 20th anniversary

LOCKERBIE campaigner Jim Swire is "too close" to the campaign to clear the bomber and is behaving like a Stockholm syndrome sufferer, the lawyer who started the prosecution suggested last night.

Lord Fraser of Carmyllie also disputed claims that cancer-stricken Abdelbaset al-Megrahi has up to a year to live, insisting the convicted bomber could live for up to five years.

Fraser, speaking on the eve of today's 20th anniversary of the terrorist atrocity that claimed 270 lives, also defended the Scottish justice system and insisted Megrahi's conviction was safe.

Fraser was Lord Advocate in 1991 when he drew up the indictment against Megrahi, accusing him of carrying out the atrocity.

Swire, a retired GP, from Worcestershire, lost his daughter Flora in the attack and became one of the spokesmen for the UK families. Swire has long been convinced of Megrahi's innocence. He has visited him in prison and has been an outspoken campaigner for his release.

Fraser told Scotland on Sunday that he had no doubts about the conviction. He added: "But in a sense it doesn't matter what I think. It matters even less what Jim Swire thinks. He may be good at medicine, but it doesn't follow that he's any good at law.

"I'm concerned that he has got a bit too close to it. It is like Stockholm syndrome. He has perhaps got a bit too close to what's going on. But I do feel very sorry for him, it must be most unpleasant to lose a daughter."

Swire responded: "It is interesting to find that Lord Peter Fraser suggests that I am suffering from Stockholm syndrome, a condition where surviving victims of terrorist outrages take up the cause of those who have attacked them.

"Since he did not accuse me of also being 'one apple short of a picnic', maybe I can be allowed to make a rational further contribution to the debate.

"I would have preferred that such matters were not raised on the back

of an anniversary where relatives need to remember with gladness the lives of those they lost. But I am determined that my daughter's horrible death shall not be associated with anything other than truth and justice."

He added: "It is Lord Fraser who judged this to be a favourable time for such comments. That is a shame, and not in line with his normal caring and sympathetic ways."

Fraser also disputed claims Megrahi was so close to death from cancer he should be released from prison. He said : "I have talked to Alex Salmond about letting Megrahi out on compassionate grounds. While he and the appeal court are looking at compassionate grounds, my understanding is that they don't have the evidence for it."

Fraser added: "I understand that the evidence before the court and the First Minister is that he may have as much as five years left and that is too long for compassionate release."

Fraser claimed Alex Salmond did not want to face the embarrassment of releasing Megrahi while he still had several years to live, claiming that ministers were wary of repeating the blunder that saw the premature release of Ernest Saunders, who was jailed for manipulating the Guinness share price.

Saunders was sentenced to five years, but was let out after just 10 months on account of pre-senile dementia associated with Alzheimer's Disease.

"He (Saunders] was released early and a couple of months later he went off ski-ing with his family," Fraser said. "Alex Salmond and the Appeal Court judges feel they would look pretty stupid if he (Megrahi] lives hale and hearty for another five years."

In order to be released on compassionate grounds his lawyers would have to prove that he has less than three months to live.

Professor Robert Black QC, one of the architects of the original trial at Camp Zeist and a member of the Justice for Megrahi campaign, said: "I wonder where Lord Fraser obtained his information and his medical qualifications. I am privy to medical information (about Megrahi] but I'm not going to share it with you."

A spokesman for Salmond said: "There has been no application for compassionate early release, and therefore there is nothing for ministers to consider on this matter.

"In all particulars, matters are conducted according to the due and proper process of Scots Law, and nothing else. In every case within our justice system, what is important is what is right and wrong."

Richard Baker, the shadow justice secretary, said: "This is a very sensitive and emotional time given the anniversary and I do think that anyone commenting on the case should recognise that we are at a difficult stage in the case."