Scotland frees conspirator of Lockerbie bombing on compassionate grounds

Scotland freed the terminally-ill Libyan jailed for the 1988 Pan Am Lockerbie bombing on compassionate grounds despite fierce US opposition.

Scotland freed the terminally-ill Libyan jailed for the 1988 Pan Am Lockerbie bombing on compassionate grounds despite fierce US opposition against releasing the man responsible for the death of 270 people in Britain’s worst terrorist attack.

Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi,57,a terminal cancer patient,who was the only person convicted of blowing up the Pan Am flight 103 over Scottish town of Lockerbie on December 21,1988 was freed on compassionate grounds,Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill announced.

Megrahi was serving a life sentence. But the move likely to cause outrage in the United States,MacAskill said Megrahi would now be released early from prison because of his worsening medical condition.

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He said Megrahi “now faces justice from a higher power … he is going to die”.

He had earlier rejected a separate application by Megrahi to serve the rest of his sentence in Libya.

Megrahi is now expected to fly home to Libya to rejoin his family,the Scotsman newspaper said in its report. In a statement that lasted more than 20 minutes MacAskill said Megrahi had shown no compassion to his victims,but added: “That alone is not a reason for us to deny compassion to him and his family in his final days.”

MacAskill said: “I am conscious there are deeply held feelings and that many will disagree whatever my decision. However a decision has to be made.

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