Megrahi visit was 'inappropriate'

Friday, February 05, 2010

The decision by Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill to visit the Lockerbie bomber in jail has been described as "inappropriate" in an inquiry into Al-Megrahi's release.

A report by Holyrood's Justice Committee also concluded that MacAskill should have sought a second medical opinion before agreeing to set him free last summer.

Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, who has cancer, was released in August last year on compassionate grounds because of his terminal illness. It followed a visit by MacAskill to Greenock prison to hear his plea for mercy in person.

A medical report from the Scottish Prison Service said it was "reasonable" to conclude Megrahi had only three months to live and therefore eligible for consideration for compassionate release.

The report read: "The committee is extremely concerned about some aspects of the process leading up to the decision, particularly the decision to allow representations in person by Mr al-Megrahi in Greenock Prison, the reasoning behind the refusal of the PTA application, the lack of clarity as to the basis on which compassionate release was granted and the fact that the announcement of the decision was not made to the parliament."

MSPs added that there was a need to clarify the rules on compassionate release and that "much greater consideration" should have been given to the possibility of release to an address in Scotland but acknowledged the security implications of that move.