This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/8249474.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Obama tackles UK PM on Lockerbie | Obama tackles UK PM on Lockerbie |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| US President Barack Obama has voiced his disappointment directly to UK PM Gordon Brown over the release of the Lockerbie bomber, the White House says. | US President Barack Obama has voiced his disappointment directly to UK PM Gordon Brown over the release of the Lockerbie bomber, the White House says. |
| It says Mr Obama made his remarks in a telephone call to Mr Brown. | It says Mr Obama made his remarks in a telephone call to Mr Brown. |
| The decision to release Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi was taken by the Scottish government, and the British government insists it did not intervene at all. | |
| Megrahi was jailed for the 1988 attack which claimed 270 lives. He was freed on compassionate grounds last month. | Megrahi was jailed for the 1988 attack which claimed 270 lives. He was freed on compassionate grounds last month. |
| He then returned to his native Libya, where he was given a hero's welcome. | |
| 'No conspiracy' | |
| "The president expressed his disappointment over the Scottish Executive's decision to release convicted Pan Am 103 Bomber al-Megrahi back to Libya," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said in a statement. | "The president expressed his disappointment over the Scottish Executive's decision to release convicted Pan Am 103 Bomber al-Megrahi back to Libya," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said in a statement. |
| The attack on Pan Am 103 led to the deaths of 270 people | |
| Downing Street confirmed that the issue was raised during Mr Brown's 40-minute telephone conversation with Mr Obama on Thursday. | Downing Street confirmed that the issue was raised during Mr Brown's 40-minute telephone conversation with Mr Obama on Thursday. |
| A spokesman in London said the issue "came up" but refused to say who raised it first. | A spokesman in London said the issue "came up" but refused to say who raised it first. |
| The spokesman also declined to confirm if Mr Obama had expressed his disappointment over the release of Megrahi, who has terminal prostate cancer. | The spokesman also declined to confirm if Mr Obama had expressed his disappointment over the release of Megrahi, who has terminal prostate cancer. |
| Mr Brown had made it clear the decision had been a matter for the Scottish government, the spokesman added. | |
| Last month, Mr Obama said the release of the bomber was "a mistake", but had not expressed this personally to Mr Brown. | Last month, Mr Obama said the release of the bomber was "a mistake", but had not expressed this personally to Mr Brown. |
| Nearly 200 Americans were among those who died in the explosion, and some US victims' families have reacted angrily to Megrahi's release. | |
| It has also been criticised by opposition parties in both Edinburgh and London. | |
| Mr Brown insists there was no "cover-up or conspiracy" over the release and says commercial links between UK and Libya, which have burgeoned since 2004, did not affect the decision. | |
| But the prime minister has refused to be drawn on whether he supported the Scottish government's decision. |