MacAskill under pressure over Lockerbie decision
Scotland’s justice secretary faced a barrage of criticism today as he explained why he freed the Lockerbie bomber.
Kenny MacAskill came under fire from Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Tories after a 20-minute statement to the Scottish parliament setting out his reasons for releasing Abdelbaset Ali Al Megrahi, who is dying from prostate cancer.
But he insisted the controversial move – which caused outrage in the United States – was the correct decision.
The Libyan, convicted of murdering 270 people in the 1988 Pan Am airline bombing over Lockerbie, returned to Tripoli on Thursday night to “a hero’s welcome” after being freed on compassionate grounds.
The reception has led to the Duke of York scrapping a trip he had planned to Libya believed to have been originally intended for next month.
Buckingham Palace said tonight: “There are no plans for the Duke of York to visit Libya.”
And in London, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown faced growing pressure to break his “deafening silence” on the release.
Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox branded Mr Brown “cowardly” for refusing to say whether he thought it was right to let Megrahi return home a free man.
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said it was “absurd and damaging” for Mr Brown to remain silent on the matter.
But a spokesman for Brown insisted: “It was and it remains a decision for the Scottish justice secretary.”
Today’s emergency session of the Scottish parliament, which saw MSPs called back a week early from their summer recess, lasted for just over an hour.
Members of the public queued up outside for a seat and the public benches were full by the time Mr MacAskill rose to address MSPs.
After the statement, Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray asked: “Does he understand how much his decision has angered the silent majority in Scotland?
“Does he understand how ashamed we were to see our flag flying to welcome a convicted bomber home?”
Scots Tory leader Annabel Goldie said: “I want to make clear that the decision to release Mr Megrahi was not done in the name of Scotland or in the name of this parliament – or in my name.”
And Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Tavish Scott said: “Doesn’t Kenny MacAskill’s comment on the need for Scottish compassion mean that no prisoner - however bad their crime – will ever have a request turned down?”
Mr MacAskill said he had acted properly, that the decision was his alone, and that it had been reached in line with Scottish procedures.
The Scottish parliament questioning took place against a background of undiminished criticism of the minister’s decision to free Megrahi from his life sentence.
But no vote was taken today. That must wait until Holyrood returns next Wednesday when a debate will be held in Scottish government time on the decision to free Megrahi.
Despite today’s criticism, two Labour voices spoke up for Mr MacAskill.
Former Labour First Minister Henry McLeish became the first prominent Labour politician to back the decision when he told the BBC: “This is probably the right decision made for the right reasons.”
And in today’s Holyrood exchanges, Labour MSP Malcolm Chisholm commended a “courageous decision which is entirely consistent with both the principles of Scots law and Christian morality”.
In Holyrood Mr MacAskill accused Libya of breaking a promise not to give the freed Lockerbie bomber any welcome on his return home.
He said: “It is a matter of great regret that Mr Megrahi was received in such an inappropriate manner.
“It showed no compassion or sensitivity to the families of the 270 victims of Lockerbie.
“Assurances had been given by the Libyan government that any return would be dealt with in a low-key and sensitive fashion.”
Mr MacAskill added he had already published “key material” on the applications, and hoped to publish other material “with the permission of others, which we are seeking”.
He also defended his decision to meet Megrahi in Greenock prison before reaching a decision on the prisoner-transfer agreement.
The prisoner-transfer agreement struck between Britain and Libya was the first such agreement not to need the consent of the prisoner and UK Justice Minister Jack Straw had given a commitment that prisoners “must be given the opportunity to make representations”.
He also told MSPs that while it had been suggested Megrahi could be released from prison but stay in Scotland, police said they would need at least 48 officers “simply to allow Mr Megrahi to live in Scotland”.
