Letter: Justice minister had no choice

REGARDING Professor Tom Gallagher's criticism of Cardinal Keith O'Brien's support for the release of al Megrahi (Debate, 15 August).

I find it curious that he apparently clings to the view that the key factor influencing the decision on the release ought to have been a consideration of its possible impact on inward US investment in Scotland. As the Justice Secretary, himself a trained solicitor, has explained time and again over the past year he was obliged to follow a particular legal process before coming to a quasi-judicial decision, a process in which commercial considerations of any sort were totally irrelevant.

Ian O Bayne, Glasgow

IN answer to some of the points raised by Tom Gallagher in his criticism of Cardinal O'Brien's article. Why should the Papal Nuncio necessarily have to be informed? This is a matter between the Scottish Government and a group of US politicians.

Cardinal O'Brien is chairman of the Scottish Bishops Conference and I cannot imagine his colleagues do not share his views or were unaware of his intentions. The professor posits four questions, none of which relates to the substance of the statement and to three at least of which he does not know the answer. Obviously, pontificating is not the exclusive preserve of pontiffs.

J G Lynch, Edinburgh