Lockerbie bomber’s welcome condemned

BRITAIN yesterday condemned celebrations in Tripoli to mark the return of the Lockerbie bomber and scrambled to deflect international fallout from the decision to free him on humanitarian grounds.

“The sight of a mass murderer getting a hero’s welcome in Tripoli is deeply upsetting, deeply distressing, above all for the 270 families who grieve every day for the loss of their loved ones 21 years ago,” said British foreign secretary David Miliband.

“How the Libyan government handles itself in the next few days will be very significant in the way the world views Libya’s re-entry into the civilised community of nations,” he added.