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| Miliband attacks Megrahi welcome | Miliband attacks Megrahi welcome |
| (21 minutes later) | |
| Foreign Secretary David Miliband has said he found the celebratory welcome in Libya of the man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing "deeply distressing". | Foreign Secretary David Miliband has said he found the celebratory welcome in Libya of the man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing "deeply distressing". |
| But Mr Miliband refused to comment on whether he believed the Scottish Government was right to free Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi. | But Mr Miliband refused to comment on whether he believed the Scottish Government was right to free Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi. |
| Crowds in Tripoli, some waving Saltires, greeted Megrahi after he was freed on compassionate grounds. | Crowds in Tripoli, some waving Saltires, greeted Megrahi after he was freed on compassionate grounds. |
| Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said the reception was "inappropriate". | Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said the reception was "inappropriate". |
| The welcome Megrahi received on his return to Libya also prompted an angry reaction from families of those killed in the 1988 bombing, which brought down Pan Am flight 103 over the town of Lockerbie, in southern Scotland. | The welcome Megrahi received on his return to Libya also prompted an angry reaction from families of those killed in the 1988 bombing, which brought down Pan Am flight 103 over the town of Lockerbie, in southern Scotland. |
| US President Barack Obama described the Scottish Government's decision to free Megrahi as a "mistake" and said his administration had told the Libyan government that Megrahi, who has terminal cancer, should not receive a hero's welcome and should instead be placed under house arrest. | US President Barack Obama described the Scottish Government's decision to free Megrahi as a "mistake" and said his administration had told the Libyan government that Megrahi, who has terminal cancer, should not receive a hero's welcome and should instead be placed under house arrest. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/default.stm">More from Today programme | |
| Mr Miliband, the first UK minister to comment on Megrahi's release, said the scenes in Tripoli were deeply distressing. | Mr Miliband, the first UK minister to comment on Megrahi's release, said the scenes in Tripoli were deeply distressing. |
| He added: "Obviously the sight of a mass murderer getting a heroes welcome in Tripoli is deeply upsetting, and deeply upsetting above all for the 270 families who grieve every day for the loss of their loved ones 21 years ago, but also for anyone who's got an ounce of humanity in them and I think that is the overriding emotion that people will be feeling today. | |
| "I think it is very important that Libya knows, and certainly we have told them, that how the Libyan government handles itself in the next few days after the arrival of Mr Megrahi will be very significant in the way the world views Libya's re-entry into the civilised community of nations." | "I think it is very important that Libya knows, and certainly we have told them, that how the Libyan government handles itself in the next few days after the arrival of Mr Megrahi will be very significant in the way the world views Libya's re-entry into the civilised community of nations." |
| He said there had been no pressure from Westminster on the Scottish Government to release Megrahi. | He said there had been no pressure from Westminster on the Scottish Government to release Megrahi. |
| Megrahi was embraced by Seif al-Islam el-Gaddafi, son of Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi | |
| Also speaking on the Today programme, Mr Salmond said the welcome received by Megrahi was "unwise". | Also speaking on the Today programme, Mr Salmond said the welcome received by Megrahi was "unwise". |
| He said: "I don't think the reception for Mr al-Megrahi was appropriate in Libya. I don't think that was wise and I don't think that was the right thing to do." | He said: "I don't think the reception for Mr al-Megrahi was appropriate in Libya. I don't think that was wise and I don't think that was the right thing to do." |
| He said he supported Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill's decision to release Megrahi on compassionate grounds, and denied it had damaged Scotland's relationship with the United States. | He said he supported Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill's decision to release Megrahi on compassionate grounds, and denied it had damaged Scotland's relationship with the United States. |
| He said: "The international politics of the situation are not, correctly in my view, a matter for the justice secretary. | He said: "The international politics of the situation are not, correctly in my view, a matter for the justice secretary. |
| "We're not responsible for the actions of others and I don't agree that we've damaged Scotland's reputation." | "We're not responsible for the actions of others and I don't agree that we've damaged Scotland's reputation." |
| The Scottish Parliament is to be recalled on Monday to discuss the controversial decision to release Megrahi. | The Scottish Parliament is to be recalled on Monday to discuss the controversial decision to release Megrahi. |
| Alex Salmond's government has made a mistake of international proportions David MundellConservative MP | |
| Russell Brown, Labour MP for Dumfries, said seeing the Saltire at Tripoli airport was "stomach churning" and condemned the Scottish Government for failing to seek adequate assurances that the Lockerbie bomber would not be hailed a hero on his return to Libya. | Russell Brown, Labour MP for Dumfries, said seeing the Saltire at Tripoli airport was "stomach churning" and condemned the Scottish Government for failing to seek adequate assurances that the Lockerbie bomber would not be hailed a hero on his return to Libya. |
| He said: "I have never been ashamed to see my country's flag waved before, but to see it misused to celebrate mass murder is outrageous. | He said: "I have never been ashamed to see my country's flag waved before, but to see it misused to celebrate mass murder is outrageous. |
| "This man is convicted of murdering 270 people in my part of Scotland and that conviction stands. | "This man is convicted of murdering 270 people in my part of Scotland and that conviction stands. |
| "This adds further pressure to the SNP to explain why they have freed a man who showed no remorse for the crimes he has committed." | "This adds further pressure to the SNP to explain why they have freed a man who showed no remorse for the crimes he has committed." |
| David Mundell, Conservative MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale, said the scenes from Tripoli were "sickening". | David Mundell, Conservative MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale, said the scenes from Tripoli were "sickening". |
| He said: "This is as we feared and why we said that Mr Megrahi should be kept in Scotland. | He said: "This is as we feared and why we said that Mr Megrahi should be kept in Scotland. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | |
| "Alex Salmond's government has made a mistake of international proportions." | "Alex Salmond's government has made a mistake of international proportions." |
| Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill announced the release order on Thursday morning, saying Megrahi probably had about three months to live. | Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill announced the release order on Thursday morning, saying Megrahi probably had about three months to live. |
| The fact that Megrahi's victims were shown no compassion was "not a reason for us to deny compassion to him and his family in his final days", he said. | The fact that Megrahi's victims were shown no compassion was "not a reason for us to deny compassion to him and his family in his final days", he said. |
| Tony Kelly, a solicitor acting on behalf of Megrahi, said his client was still interested in clearing his name in the "court of public opinion." | Tony Kelly, a solicitor acting on behalf of Megrahi, said his client was still interested in clearing his name in the "court of public opinion." |
| He said: "In the statement I issued on his behalf yesterday he talked about the appalling choice he had to make. | He said: "In the statement I issued on his behalf yesterday he talked about the appalling choice he had to make. |
| "He had to say whether he was going to stay here and die in prison with a view to trying to clear his name posthumously, or to abandon the appeal with a view to get himself home so he could go back to the bosom of his family." | "He had to say whether he was going to stay here and die in prison with a view to trying to clear his name posthumously, or to abandon the appeal with a view to get himself home so he could go back to the bosom of his family." |