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Salmond faces Lockerbie grilling Bomber release rules 'followed'
(about 13 hours later)
MPs are due to question the first minister and the justice secretary over the decision to free the Lockerbie bomber. Scotland's first minister has rejected claims he failed to work closely enough with Westminster over the release of the convicted Lockerbie bomber.
Alex Salmond and Kenny MacAskill are to give evidence to the Scottish affairs committee at Westminster. Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi's early release by Scottish ministers on compassionate grounds in August sparked a political row.
Political opponents have been highly critical of the decision to release Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi. MPs asked First Minister Alex Salmond whether there had been "buck passing" between the Scots and UK governments.
Mr Salmond will say that protocols were followed and the UK and US governments were informed prior to the release. He said his government had to observe the rules of the legal process.
Megrahi was released from Greenock Prison in August and returned to his native Libya. Mr Salmond told Westminster's Scottish affairs committee it had not been possible to involve the UK government too closely in the decision to release terminally ill Megrahi, an issue devolved to Scotland.
Tough questions Controversial decision
The 57-year-old was freed on compassionate grounds, because he has prostate cancer, and his condition had deteriorated. He was giving evidence to the committee, along with Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill and Scotland's top civil servant, Sir John Elvidge, as part of an investigation into co-operation and communication between the Scottish and UK governments.
The Scottish Affairs Committee will question Mr Salmond and Mr MacAskill on Tuesday as part of an investigation into co-operation and communication between the Scottish and UK governments. Scottish ministers have said the protocols were followed and the UK and US governments were informed prior to the release.
In particular MPs are looking at how this worked in the case of the Lockerbie bomber. The decision to release 57-year-old Megrahi - the only man convicted of blowing up Pan Am flight 103 - from prison in Scotland has remained hugely controversial.
Mr Salmond is also likely to express regret at the scenes in Tripoli when Scottish flags were waved as Megrahi arrived home. But the Holyrood government said the move was in line with the ideals of the Scottish justice system.
The decision to release the only man convicted of blowing up Pan Am flight 103 remains hugely controversial, and MPs questioning is likely to be tough.
Also giving evidence will be Sir John Elvidge, the Scottish government's permanent secretary and most senior civil servant.