Bomber decision split global opinion

It was the most controversial decision of Kenny MacAskill’s political career. When the Scottish Justice Secretary announced he was releasing the Lockerbie bomber, opinion across the world was split.

The freeing of cancer-stricken Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, allowing him to return to Libya to die, prompted immediate anger on both sides of the Atlantic.

Most of the victims of the bombing were American and US President Barack Obama immediately condemned Mr MacAskill’s decision. Mr Obama said at the time: “We have been in contact with the Scottish government indicating that we object to this. We thought it was a mistake.”

In the UK, David Cameron – then Opposition leader – was equally vocal in his criticism of the decision.

Speaking in August 2009, he said: “I think this is wrong and it’s the product of some completely nonsensical thinking, in my view.”

That view remained unaltered after the Conservatives formed a coalition government following May’s general election. Just two months after that, Tory Foreign Secretary William Hague branded Mr Megrahi’s release “wrong and misguided”. After Labour left office, David Miliband – who had been foreign secretary at the time the Libyan was freed – claimed the decision was “clearly wrong”.

But Mr MacAskill’s decision was also backed by the Church of Scotland, as well as SNP MSP Christine Grahame, who visited Megrahi several times while he was locked up in Greenock prison. Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has also stood firmly by his Justice Secretary.