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Straw admits Lockerbie trade link Straw admits Lockerbie trade link
(30 minutes later)
Trade and oil played a part in the decision to include the Lockerbie bomber in a prisoner transfer deal, Jack Straw has admitted.Trade and oil played a part in the decision to include the Lockerbie bomber in a prisoner transfer deal, Jack Straw has admitted.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, the UK justice secretary said trade was "a very big part" of the 2007 talks that led to the prisoner deal with Libya.Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, the UK justice secretary said trade was "a very big part" of the 2007 talks that led to the prisoner deal with Libya.
He cited a deal which was being sought by BP at the time and said: "I'm unapologetic about that." However, Mr Straw's spokesman accused the newspaper of "outrageous" innuendo.
A Scots minister freed Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds. Scotland's Justice Secretary granted Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi compassionate release because he was terminally ill.
Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill released Megrahi last month because he was terminally ill with prostate cancer.
The 57-year-old was serving life in Greenock prison for the 1988 bombing of PanAm flight 103 over Lockerbie, which killed 270 people.
£550m oil deal£550m oil deal
The 57-year-old was serving life in Greenock prison for the 1988 bombing of PanAm flight 103 over Lockerbie, which killed 270 people.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown insisted there was "no conspiracy, no cover-up, no double dealing, no deal on oil" over his release.On Wednesday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown insisted there was "no conspiracy, no cover-up, no double dealing, no deal on oil" over his release.
But officials admit the prisoner transfer agreement (PTA) was part of a wider set of negotiations aimed at bringing Libya in from the international cold, and improving British trade prospects with the oil-rich nation. But officials admit the prisoner transfer agreement (PTA) was part of a wider set of negotiations aimed at bringing Libya in from the international cold, and improving British trade prospects with the country.
"Libya was a rogue state," Mr Straw told the paper."Libya was a rogue state," Mr Straw told the paper.
"We wanted to bring it back into the fold."We wanted to bring it back into the fold.
"And yes, that included trade because trade is an essential part of it and subsequently there was the BP deal.""And yes, that included trade because trade is an essential part of it and subsequently there was the BP deal."
Mr Straw said Mr Brown was not involved in the decision to press ahead with the PTA, saying: "I certainly didn't talk to the PM. There is no paper trail to suggest he was involved at all."
Megrahi's welcome home in Libya angered many in the US and UKMegrahi's welcome home in Libya angered many in the US and UK
Mr Straw said Mr Brown was not involved in the decision to press ahead with the PTA, saying: "I certainly didn't talk to the PM. There is no paper trail to suggest he was involved at all."
Documents released by the UK Government show Mr Straw had originally tried to ensure that Megrahi was exempted from any prisoner deal with Libya, but in December 2007 he changed his mind.Documents released by the UK Government show Mr Straw had originally tried to ensure that Megrahi was exempted from any prisoner deal with Libya, but in December 2007 he changed his mind.
He wrote in a letter to his Scottish counterpart that "wider negotiations with the Libyans are reaching a critical stage" and a blanket agreement was in "the overwhelming interests for the United Kingdom".
In January 2008, just weeks after the PTA was sealed, Libya ratified a £550m oil deal with BP.In January 2008, just weeks after the PTA was sealed, Libya ratified a £550m oil deal with BP.
The oil company acknowledged on Friday that it had urged the government to sign the prisoner transfer deal, but insisted it had not singled out Megrahi as part of the discussion.
A spokesman for Mr Straw said the minister had always made clear that wider considerations such as trade played a part in the negotiation of the PTA.A spokesman for Mr Straw said the minister had always made clear that wider considerations such as trade played a part in the negotiation of the PTA.
He added: "Jack's position has been on the record for some days.He added: "Jack's position has been on the record for some days.
Kenny MacAskill's decision has been closely scrutinised
"He has never denied that seeking an agreement with Libya over a Prisoner Transfer Agreement was connected to a wider process of normalising relations with Libya, including on trade, which is in the interests of us all."He has never denied that seeking an agreement with Libya over a Prisoner Transfer Agreement was connected to a wider process of normalising relations with Libya, including on trade, which is in the interests of us all.
"The level of innuendo over this issue in the newspapers is absurd and offensive. It's outrageous and far from the truth.""The level of innuendo over this issue in the newspapers is absurd and offensive. It's outrageous and far from the truth."
Kenny MacAskill's decision has been closely scrutinised
The oil company acknowledged on Friday that it had urged the government to sign the prisoner transfer deal, but insisted it had not singled out Megrahi as part of the discussion.
Conservative foreign affairs spokesman David Lidington said: "It's very hard to square what Jack Straw says today with Gordon Brown's repeated denials of any kind of deal.Conservative foreign affairs spokesman David Lidington said: "It's very hard to square what Jack Straw says today with Gordon Brown's repeated denials of any kind of deal.
"That's why we need an independent inquiry to get to the truth.""That's why we need an independent inquiry to get to the truth."
Angus Robertson, the SNP leader at Westminster, said Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill was right to reject the "tainted" PTA application.Angus Robertson, the SNP leader at Westminster, said Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill was right to reject the "tainted" PTA application.
He said: "Jack Straw's admission that trade was at the heart of the UK Government's actions over al-Megrahi confirms the wisdom of the Scottish Government in opposing this Prisoner Transfer Agreement from the start, and of the justice secretary in rejecting the application.He said: "Jack Straw's admission that trade was at the heart of the UK Government's actions over al-Megrahi confirms the wisdom of the Scottish Government in opposing this Prisoner Transfer Agreement from the start, and of the justice secretary in rejecting the application.
"In contrast to the UK Government's dodgy deal in the desert, Scotland's Justice Secretary made his decision to grant compassionate release to send al-Megrahi back to Libya to die on judicial grounds alone, according to the due process of Scots Law.""In contrast to the UK Government's dodgy deal in the desert, Scotland's Justice Secretary made his decision to grant compassionate release to send al-Megrahi back to Libya to die on judicial grounds alone, according to the due process of Scots Law."