If his role was exaggerated, exactly what did he know about bombing?

THE notion that Mr Megrahi was a low-level official is not believable – we only have to look at the huge welcome back he was given by the Libyan regime two years ago with full honours.

To a large extent, he is now telling the story that he’s told all along as his last will and testament. It’s what he said when he was put on trial and it’s something he said during his time in prison. Namely, that he’s innocent.

But I’m surprised, given the state he is in, which we saw from BBC pictures a few weeks ago, that he was able to give this interview.

The claim that his role was exaggerated raises all sort of questions about what he actually knows about the Lockerbie bombing and why he won’t say what this is, particularly given that he appears to be close to his death.

The idea that he was this poor and low-level civil servant isn’t believable, as the British and US intelligence services would know the key figures in the Libyan agencies.

It’s odd that he has now made this comment about exaggeration, as the statement suggests at the very least that he must know at least something – that’s the elephant in the room.

Did he know who was involved in the bombing, the planning behind it and other machinations in the run-up to the attack? It beggars belief that his role was only administrative.

The interview poses so many questions about what he knew. It makes you think, hang on a moment, how could you have been part of the Libyan intelligence services set-up, yet have no knowledge of this?

It’s like some of those arrested during the London riots who said they were only on the scene and not actually involved in the disorder.

It’s all very much a “it wasn’t me” approach.

Of course, a key question is who else was involved in the bombing, and that it something we may never know, unless the new government that came to power following the Libyan revolution wants to help the West and do what it can to provide information on the case.

Unless that happens imminently, we may never know the real truth behind the bombing, but it’s still unbelievable to suggest that Mr Megrahi had no role at all.

• Trevor Salmon is a professor of international relations at the University of Aberdeen.