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| Version 8 | Version 9 |
|---|---|
| Straw 'changed mind over bomber' | Straw 'changed mind over bomber' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Jack Straw changed his mind about excluding the Lockerbie bomber from a proposed prisoner transfer agreement with Libya, letters have shown. | Jack Straw changed his mind about excluding the Lockerbie bomber from a proposed prisoner transfer agreement with Libya, letters have shown. |
| The UK's justice secretary initially agreed it should not include anyone connected with the bombing. | The UK's justice secretary initially agreed it should not include anyone connected with the bombing. |
| But in a later letter to the Scottish Government he said it was in the UK's interests the agreement should take a "standard form" - with no exclusion. | But in a later letter to the Scottish Government he said it was in the UK's interests the agreement should take a "standard form" - with no exclusion. |
| Terminally ill Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi was freed on 20 August. | Terminally ill Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi was freed on 20 August. |
| Documents released by the Scottish and UK governments included claims that a UK minister had told the Libyans that Prime Minister Gordon Brown did not want Megrahi to die in prison. | |
| He was released by Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill on compassionate grounds, after the minister rejected a prisoner transfer request. | He was released by Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill on compassionate grounds, after the minister rejected a prisoner transfer request. |
| The UK government has published its letters to Scottish ministers over the issue. | The UK government has published its letters to Scottish ministers over the issue. |
| I am unjustly convicted of a most heinous crime Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=6942&edition=1&ttl=20090901152103">Do letters end the controversy? | |
| Megrahi was freed after serving eight years of a life sentence for the bombing, which led to Pan Am flight 103 exploding over the town of Lockerbie in December 1988. | |
| The decision to release Megrahi, who was given a hero's welcome when he arrived back in Libya, has divided opinion at home and abroad. | The decision to release Megrahi, who was given a hero's welcome when he arrived back in Libya, has divided opinion at home and abroad. |
| The controversy has prompted many Western leaders to stay away from celebrations in Libya this week to mark 40 years since the coup that brought Colonel Gaddafi to power. | The controversy has prompted many Western leaders to stay away from celebrations in Libya this week to mark 40 years since the coup that brought Colonel Gaddafi to power. |
| The Scottish Government also published background reports on the case, which it said had justified its final decision. | The Scottish Government also published background reports on the case, which it said had justified its final decision. |
| They included minutes of a meeting between Libyan and Scottish officials on prisoner transfer, which noted concerns that the bomber could be returned to a "fanfare" in Libya. | |
| The documents also included a handwritten letter from Megrahi to Mr MacAskill in which he said: "I am unjustly convicted of a most heinous crime." | |
| 'Critical stage' | |
| The Ministry of Justice was first to publish several letters from the then Justice Secretary Lord Falconer to Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, along with letters from his successor Jack Straw to Mr MacAskill and Mr Salmond. | The Ministry of Justice was first to publish several letters from the then Justice Secretary Lord Falconer to Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, along with letters from his successor Jack Straw to Mr MacAskill and Mr Salmond. |
| In a letter to Mr MacAskill in September 2007, Mr Straw agreed with the Scottish Government's proposal that anyone convicted of the Lockerbie bombing would be excluded from a prisoner transfer agreement between the UK and Libya. | In a letter to Mr MacAskill in September 2007, Mr Straw agreed with the Scottish Government's proposal that anyone convicted of the Lockerbie bombing would be excluded from a prisoner transfer agreement between the UK and Libya. |
| But in a follow-up letter, dated 19 December, Mr Straw said he would not be able to secure such an exclusion, writing: "Wider negotiations with the Libyans are reaching a critical stage and, in view of the overwhelming interests for the United Kingdom, I have agreed that, in this instance, the PTA should be in the standard form and not mention any individual." | But in a follow-up letter, dated 19 December, Mr Straw said he would not be able to secure such an exclusion, writing: "Wider negotiations with the Libyans are reaching a critical stage and, in view of the overwhelming interests for the United Kingdom, I have agreed that, in this instance, the PTA should be in the standard form and not mention any individual." |
| Mr Alobidi confirmed that he had reiterated that the death of Mr Megrahi in a Scottish prison would have catastrophic effects for the relationship between Libya and the UK Notes from the Scottish Government | Mr Alobidi confirmed that he had reiterated that the death of Mr Megrahi in a Scottish prison would have catastrophic effects for the relationship between Libya and the UK Notes from the Scottish Government |
| In a further letter to Mr Salmond, on 11 February 2008, Mr Straw said Libya had become an "important partner in the fight against terrorism". | In a further letter to Mr Salmond, on 11 February 2008, Mr Straw said Libya had become an "important partner in the fight against terrorism". |
| He added: "Libya is in a key position to help stem the flow of illegal migrants to the EU and to the UK." | He added: "Libya is in a key position to help stem the flow of illegal migrants to the EU and to the UK." |
| Mr Straw has previously said reports that the Lockerbie bomber was released over an oil deal are "wholly untrue". | Mr Straw has previously said reports that the Lockerbie bomber was released over an oil deal are "wholly untrue". |
| Other letters from the Foreign Office to the Scottish Government, from July and August this year, claimed no commitment had been given to the US that Megrahi would serve out his sentence in Scotland. | Other letters from the Foreign Office to the Scottish Government, from July and August this year, claimed no commitment had been given to the US that Megrahi would serve out his sentence in Scotland. |
| In July, an unnamed official from the FCO wrote: "While at the time, we considered a prisoner transfer agreement with Libya most unlikely in view of our relations with Libya, the government of the day, in conjunction with the then Lord Advocate, was keen to ensure that any political assurances given to the US would not bind the hands of successor governments. | In July, an unnamed official from the FCO wrote: "While at the time, we considered a prisoner transfer agreement with Libya most unlikely in view of our relations with Libya, the government of the day, in conjunction with the then Lord Advocate, was keen to ensure that any political assurances given to the US would not bind the hands of successor governments. |
| Sir Menzies Campbell: "What was it which persuaded Jack Straw to change his position?" | Sir Menzies Campbell: "What was it which persuaded Jack Straw to change his position?" |
| "The UK Government consequently did not give the US an absolute commitment in relation to the future imprisonment of the Lockerbie accused." | |
| Meanwhile, a document published by the Scottish Government seems to suggest that Mr Brown and the foreign secretary did not wish Megrahi to die in a Scottish prison. | |
| The Libyans said the statement was made by UK Foreign Minister Bill Rammell to a Libyan minister during a meeting in Tripoli in February. | The Libyans said the statement was made by UK Foreign Minister Bill Rammell to a Libyan minister during a meeting in Tripoli in February. |
| Libya's Minister for Europe Abdulati Alobidi made the claim in a meeting with Mr MacAskill on 10 August. | Libya's Minister for Europe Abdulati Alobidi made the claim in a meeting with Mr MacAskill on 10 August. |
| The document said: "Mr Alobidi spoke of Mr Bill Rammell's visit to Tripoli in February and that they had discussed the matter of the prisoner transfer agreement. | The document said: "Mr Alobidi spoke of Mr Bill Rammell's visit to Tripoli in February and that they had discussed the matter of the prisoner transfer agreement. |
| "Mr Alobidi confirmed that he had reiterated to Mr Rammell that the death of Mr Megrahi in a Scottish prison would have catastrophic effects for the relationship between Libya and the UK. | "Mr Alobidi confirmed that he had reiterated to Mr Rammell that the death of Mr Megrahi in a Scottish prison would have catastrophic effects for the relationship between Libya and the UK. |
| "Mr Alobidi went on to say that Mr Rammell had stated that neither the prime minister not the foreign secretary would want Mr Megrahi to pass away in prison but the decision on transfer lies in the hands of the Scottish ministers." | "Mr Alobidi went on to say that Mr Rammell had stated that neither the prime minister not the foreign secretary would want Mr Megrahi to pass away in prison but the decision on transfer lies in the hands of the Scottish ministers." |