Mandela bid to visit Lockerbie bomber in prison

Former South African president Nelson Mandela hopes to go to Scotland early next week to visit the convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi, it was confirmed today.

He is keen to see what conditions the Libyan intelligence agent is being held under at Barlinnie Prison, Glasgow, where he is serving a life sentence.

Ali al-Megrahi was convicted last year of murder for smuggling an explosive aboard Pan Am flight 103, which exploded over the Scottish town of Lockerbie on December 21, 1988.

Mr Mandela has been in discussions with the British government regarding the proposed visit to the prison, according to the former president’s spokeswoman Zelda Lagrange.

She told PA News today: ‘‘We are trying to make arrangements at this stage but we have not finalised the whole process.

‘‘He hopes to visit early next week but we are not sure if it will be possible yet.

‘‘Mr Mandela has been closely involved in the case and he wants to see how the prisoner is doing and what the conditions in the prison are like.’’

She said the former president had also been in touch with Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi.

Mr Mandela played a crucial role in persuading Libya to hand over the two men suspected of involvement in the Lockerbie bombing.

The Scottish Prison Service today said it had not received any confirmation of Mr Mandela’s visit.