The Scottish Government is facing likely defeat in a Holyrood debate over its handling of the case of the terminally ill Lockerbie bomber.
First Minister Alex Salmond has hit out at Labour's "totally and absolutely ridiculous" position over the release of the Lockerbie bomber.
Opposition MSPs are expected to join forces to defeat a government motion backing the release of Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds.
His comments came as the Scottish Government faced likely defeat in a Holyrood debate over the case.
But the move would fall short of a vote of no confidence in SNP ministers.
The move by opposition parties would fall short of a vote of no-confidence in the government.
The debate comes a day after ministers in London and Edinburgh released a series of documents on the case.
Scottish ministers freed terminally-ill Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds.
Pressure
Mr Salmond's attack, in a point of order before the debate got under way, came after UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband confirmed the UK government did not want to see Megrahi die in a Scottish prison.
They have put further pressure on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to explain his position after documents indicated Libyan officials had been told he did not want to see Megrahi, who has cancer, die in prison.
Decision 'mishandled'
Labour is seeking to amend the Scottish Government motion at Holyrood which says that Megrahi's release was in line with prison service and parole board recommendations and consistent with the principles of Scottish justice.
But Mr Miliband insisted there had been no "double dealing" and told the BBC the UK had "never expressed a different view" to the US over the issue.
The Labour amendment states Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill mishandled the decision and damaged Scotland's reputation.
In light of the revelations, Mr Salmond urged Labour to re-think its debate amendment, condemning the Scottish Government's handling of the case.
It also says the minister should not have met Megrahi in prison while considering his case and that he failed to seek sufficient medical advice on the bomber's condition.
The first minister told parliament: "Is it in order, in terms of our procedures, since the credibility of this parliament depends to some extent on the credibility of the main opposition party, to allow the Labour Party to submit a drafting amendment, because their current position looks totally and absolutely ridiculous."
A Conservative amendment has raised concern Megrahi was not allowed to remain in Scotland, a move ruled out by ministers on police resourcing grounds.
Despite the comments, Scottish Labour justice spokesman Richard Baker insisted Mr MacAskill mishandled the Lockerbie bomber case and had damaged Scotland as a result.
The Liberal Democrats will argue the news of his release should have been announced to parliament, not at a news conference.
The debate came a day after the Scottish Government released a list of documents on the issue, which included a report that a Libyan official had said Foreign Office Minister Bill Rammell had told them the prime minister and foreign secretary did not want the Lockerbie bomber to die in a Scottish prison.
Divided opinion
Mr Rammell has since confirmed he told Libya Mr Brown did not want to see Megrahi die in prison. However, he denied having discussed this with Gordon Brown.
One document released on Tuesday detailed a Libyan official saying that then Foreign Office minister Bill Rammell had told Tripoli that Gordon Brown and Foreign Secretary David Miliband did not want Megrahi to die in prison.
Megrahi served eight years of a life sentence in Scotland for the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over the town of Lockerbie in December 1988.
Mr Rammell later confirmed an exchange did take place, but insisted he had made it clear to the Libyans that the fate of Megrahi was entirely in the hands of Scottish ministers.
His release last month has divided opinion at home and abroad.
He told the BBC he had said the UK government was not "actively seeking" Megrahi's death in prison but denied having discussed this at any point with Mr Brown.
Megrahi served eight years of a life sentence for the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over the town of Lockerbie in December 1988.
His release last month has divided opinion at home and abroad and 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.
