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| QC's call over bomber's 'release' | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A top Scottish QC has said the justice secretary should consider his position over his handling of the possible release of the Lockerbie bomber. | A top Scottish QC has said the justice secretary should consider his position over his handling of the possible release of the Lockerbie bomber. |
| Kenny MacAskill is expected to announce that Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi will be released on compassionate grounds. | Kenny MacAskill is expected to announce that Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi will be released on compassionate grounds. |
| But Paul McBride, who advises the Conservative party on law and order, accused Mr MacAskill of treating cancer sufferer Megrahi like a celebrity. | But Paul McBride, who advises the Conservative party on law and order, accused Mr MacAskill of treating cancer sufferer Megrahi like a celebrity. |
| The Scottish Government said Mr McBride was politicking over a serious issue. | The Scottish Government said Mr McBride was politicking over a serious issue. |
| The 57-year-old is the only person to be convicted over the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, which claimed 270 lives. | The 57-year-old is the only person to be convicted over the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, which claimed 270 lives. |
| The QC described the manner in which his possible release was being discussed as "beyond shameful" and said Mr MacAskill should have recalled Parliament to discuss the matter. | The QC described the manner in which his possible release was being discussed as "beyond shameful" and said Mr MacAskill should have recalled Parliament to discuss the matter. |
| The convicted mass murderer was being given extraordinary, special treatment with decisions about his fate being made in secrecy, he said. | The convicted mass murderer was being given extraordinary, special treatment with decisions about his fate being made in secrecy, he said. |
| Paul McBride QC said Megrahi would be given a hero's welcome in Libya | Paul McBride QC said Megrahi would be given a hero's welcome in Libya |
| He told BBC Scotland he was angry that Mr MacAskill visited Megrahi in jail and said other prisoners do not get that right. | He told BBC Scotland he was angry that Mr MacAskill visited Megrahi in jail and said other prisoners do not get that right. |
| Mr McBride said the issue had made Scotland "look stupid and a worldwide laughing stock", and called for Westminster to become involved in the discussions. | Mr McBride said the issue had made Scotland "look stupid and a worldwide laughing stock", and called for Westminster to become involved in the discussions. |
| A spokesperson for Mr MacAskill said: "Mr McBride speaks as a Conservative party advocate, he made this same attack 10 days ago, and such politicking has no place in what is a highly serious and important issue. | A spokesperson for Mr MacAskill said: "Mr McBride speaks as a Conservative party advocate, he made this same attack 10 days ago, and such politicking has no place in what is a highly serious and important issue. |
| "Mr McBride should be aware that a Conservative spokesperson at Westminster, Daniel Kawczynski MP, has actually written to the justice secretary saying that Mr Megrahi should be used as a foreign policy "bargaining chip", which is as extraordinary as it is inappropriate in relation to deciding on the applications for compassionate release and prisoner transfer. | "Mr McBride should be aware that a Conservative spokesperson at Westminster, Daniel Kawczynski MP, has actually written to the justice secretary saying that Mr Megrahi should be used as a foreign policy "bargaining chip", which is as extraordinary as it is inappropriate in relation to deciding on the applications for compassionate release and prisoner transfer. |
| "The justice secretary is yet to decide on these applications, and he will do so on a proper judicial basis, and the Conservative party should approach the issue in the same responsible manner." | "The justice secretary is yet to decide on these applications, and he will do so on a proper judicial basis, and the Conservative party should approach the issue in the same responsible manner." |
| However, the Liberal Democrat justice spokesman Robert Brown MSP also criticised the minister's handling of the issue. | However, the Liberal Democrat justice spokesman Robert Brown MSP also criticised the minister's handling of the issue. |
| "I took considerable objection to him visiting Megrahi in Greenock Prison," he said. | "I took considerable objection to him visiting Megrahi in Greenock Prison," he said. |
| Lockerbie will be one of those mysteries like the assassination of President Kennedy that will remain unsolved for a long time - possibly forever Tam DalyellFormer Labour MP | Lockerbie will be one of those mysteries like the assassination of President Kennedy that will remain unsolved for a long time - possibly forever Tam DalyellFormer Labour MP |
| "I thought that was entirely inappropriate - he's got a semi-judicial role in all of this. | "I thought that was entirely inappropriate - he's got a semi-judicial role in all of this. |
| "I fail to see what kind of information he might've been able to get from such a meeting; he's not a doctor, he can't opine on the medical position. | "I fail to see what kind of information he might've been able to get from such a meeting; he's not a doctor, he can't opine on the medical position. |
| "What on earth was the purpose other than to feed the sort of media frenzy there's been about this matter." | "What on earth was the purpose other than to feed the sort of media frenzy there's been about this matter." |
| Meanwhile, reacting to the news that the Libyan had applied to abandon his appeal against his conviction, the former Labour MP Tam Dalyell, who has long argued Megrahi's innocence, said: "The last time I saw him was in Greenock Prison. | |
| "He said rather movingly to me that he was desperate to go back to Tripoli to see his family grow up. | "He said rather movingly to me that he was desperate to go back to Tripoli to see his family grow up. |
| "But he wanted to go back as an innocent man. | "But he wanted to go back as an innocent man. |
| "If he abandons his appeal, it means that Lockerbie will be one of those mysteries like the assassination of President Kennedy that will remain unsolved for a long time - possibly forever." | "If he abandons his appeal, it means that Lockerbie will be one of those mysteries like the assassination of President Kennedy that will remain unsolved for a long time - possibly forever." |
| Megrahi was convicted of murder in 2001 at a trial held under Scottish law in the Netherlands. | Megrahi was convicted of murder in 2001 at a trial held under Scottish law in the Netherlands. |
| A first appeal against that verdict was rejected the following year. | A first appeal against that verdict was rejected the following year. |
| His second appeal got under way this year but shortly afterwards applications were made for both his transfer to a Libyan jail and release on compassionate grounds. | His second appeal got under way this year but shortly afterwards applications were made for both his transfer to a Libyan jail and release on compassionate grounds. |