Hague condemns Megrahi release

The appearance of the convicted Lockerbie bomber on Libyan TV has confirmed that a “great mistake” was made in releasing him from jail, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said yesterday.

Mr Hague said Abdelbaset al-Megrahi’s release from a Scottish prison almost two years ago on compassionate grounds was “absolutely the wrong thing to do”.

In footage seen by the BBC on Tuesday night, a TV presenter introduced Mr Megrahi at what appeared to be a pro-government rally, and said his conviction was the result of a “conspiracy”.

Mr Megrahi served nearly eight years of a 27-year sentence after being convicted of killing 270 people in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 four days before Christmas in 1988. He returned to Libya in August 2009 after being diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. The Scottish government accepted advice that he had about three months to live.

At a press conference in central London, Mr Hague said the footage demonstrated that this advice was “pretty much worthless”.

He said: “I think the appearance of Mr al-Megrahi on our television screens is a further reminder that a great mistake was made when he was released. The Prime Minister and I, when we were in opposition, both strongly disagreed with that position by Scottish ministers. We disagreed with what has subsequently been revealed about the facilitation by the previous Labour government at Westminster of moves towards the release of al-Megrahi.”

He added: “This was absolutely the wrong thing to do. It shows the medical advice it was based on was pretty much worthless and I think many people, particularly the families of those killed at Lockerbie, I think their anger and outrage at this release will be further intensified by what we have seen. So it has always been our view this was a mistake and this simply confirms that.”

Of the 270 victims of the disaster, 189 were American. Eleven residents of Lockerbie, in Dumfries and Galloway, also died after the plane crashed down on their homes.

A Scottish Government spokes-man said they were satisfied that Holyrood’s Justice Committee has “examined all relevant aspects” of Mr Megrahi’s release.

However, the same committee will shortly decide whether to call for a public inquiry into his conviction.

Committee convener Christine Grahame has said it is time for “a clean, clear look at the role of Scottish justice” because of the number of “conspiracy theories” surrounding the conviction.