Lockerbie bomber 'should go back to prison': US

The Obama administration today called for the only person convicted of the Lockerbie bombing to be returned to a Scottish prison.

John Brennan, president Barack Obama’s counter-terrorism adviser, told reporters today the US has “expressed our strong conviction” to Libyan officials that Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi should not remain free.

Mr Brennan criticised what he termed the "unfortunate and inappropriate and wrong decision" to free Megrahi, and added: "We've expressed our strong conviction that Al Megrahi should serve out the remainder - the entirety - of his sentence in a Scottish prison."

In 2001, Megrahi was ordered to serve 27 years in prison for the bombing of Pan Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland on December 21 1988.

Megrahi was freed on August 20 last year on compassionate grounds.

He is suffering from prostate cancer and was estimated to have just months to live when he was freed.

The bombing killed 259 people onboard – mostly Americans – and 11 on the ground.