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Scottish authorities on compassionate grounds Thursday released Abdelbasset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi, who has been diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer, to return to Libya to die.
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Libyan Abdel Basset al-Megrahi (R) is helped by relatives as he walks down the stairs upon his arrival at airport in Tripoli August 20, 2009 |
The former Libyan intelligence agent served eight years of a 27-year minimum sentence on charges of murdering 270 people, including 189 Americans when a Pan Am plane blew up over Lockerbie in December 1988.
It was reported that the White House expressed deep regrets over the decision to release Megrahi. The decision also infuriated the families of many of the U.S. victims of the bombing.
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Lockerbie bomber Abdel Baset al-Megrahi holds his prisoner release papers as he walks toward the airplane at Glasgow International Airport, Glasgow Scotland bound for Tripoli, after he was released on compassionate grounds by Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill Thursday Aug. 20, 2009 |
"We have been scrupulous in saying that this decision should be made by the Scottish authorities. We have been scrupulous in saying that to the Libyans," he said. "We have been scrupulous in saying that to the Americans. We've also been scrupulous in our engagement with the Scottish government."
The foreign minister said that the world will be watching Libya because of Megrahi's release.
"How the Libyan government handles itself in the next few days after the arrival of Megrahi will be very significant in the way the world views Libya's re-entry into the civilized community of nations," Miliband said.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown wrote to Gaddafi, asking that there be no hero's welcome for the Lockerbie bomber and that Libya act with sensitivity.