Ministers urge Libya: Don’t celebrate bomber’s release

Hero's welcome: Al Megrahi on his return to Liby aftre being released on compassionate grounds this time last year
12 April 2012

The row over the Lockerbie bomber escalated today as the convicted mass killer celebrated a year of freedom.

With recriminations raging over the leniency shown to Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, who has terminal prostate cancer, the British Government was so embarrassed that it resorted to urging Libyans not to celebrate publicly.

In a statement, the Foreign Office warned that partying in Tripoli would be "tasteless, offensive and deeply insensitive" to the feelings of relatives of the 270 people who died in the 1988 atrocity.

But there were fears that supporters of Megrahi would take the chance to boast about the success of their lobbying campaign to win his freedom, which included putting pressure on the previous Labour government to link prisoner transfers with trade deals.

Megrahi was given a hero's reception when freed from Greenock prison last year after doctors said he had less than three months to live.

"The government is clear that Megrahi's release was a mistake," said the Foreign Office.

"We understand the continuing anguish that Megrahi's release has caused his victims both in the UK and the US. He was convicted for the worst act of terrorism in British history."

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said the medical advice was clear at the time.

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