Libya 'broke promise' on bomber welcome

Scotland’s justice secretary today accused Libya of breaking a promise not to give freed Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Al Megrahi a hero’s welcome on his return home.

Kenny MacAskill told an emergency session of the Scottish parliament: “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.”

He went on: “Assurances had been given by the Libyan government that any return would be dealt with in a low-key and sensitive fashion.”

The Scottish parliament was recalled from its summer recess to allow MSPs to question MacAskill on his decision to free terminally-ill Megrahi.

The justice secretary defended his actions in freeing Megrahi early on compassionate grounds, while turning down a request for him to be transferred to jail in Libya.

In a statement that was along similar lines to the one he made when announcing the decision last week, he said: “It was my responsibility to decide upon these two applications.

“They were my decisions and my decisions alone.”

But Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray told parliament that the affair had been "mishandled" from start to finish.

“Between the scenes of triumph in Tripoli and the pain and anger at home and abroad, is there anything Mr MacAskill now regrets about his decision and the way it was reached?" Mr Gray said.

The Tories called the decision “flawed.”