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Lockerbie bomber Megrahi makes appeal claims in book | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
The Lockerbie bomber has claimed he was urged to drop an appeal against his conviction to allow him to be released early from prison. | |
Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, the only man to be convicted of the 1988 atrocity, makes the claim in a new biography. | |
He also says that new evidence which has just been uncovered should help prove his innocence. | |
The Scottish government has categorically denied doing any deal with Megrahi over his release. | |
The Libyan dropped his appeal against conviction in August 2009 and later the same month he was freed by Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill on compassionate grounds due to his inoperable cancer. | |
In a biography just published, Megrahi claims he was told dropping the appeal would enhance his chances of gaining compassionate release. | |
A Scottish government spokesman said: "We can say categorically that neither the Scottish Government had any involvement of any kind in Mr Al-Megrahi dropping his appeal, or indeed any interest in it. | |
"That was entirely a matter for Mr Al-Megrahi and his legal team. | |
Meanwhile, a BBC Scotland Investigation to be screened on Monday evening reveals new evidence about the fragment of timer found in a Roxburghshire forest which was crucial to Megrahi's conviction. | |
Express forgiveness | |
The evidence was never revealed to his lawyers and campaigners claim it could have significantly affected the verdict of the trial judges. | |
The programme also sees Megrahi express forgiveness for the man whose evidence was crucial in finding him guilty. | |
Maltese shopkeeper Tony Gauci identified him as purchasing clothes found packed around the bomb. | |
His evidence linked Megrahi with the explosion in which 270 people died. | His evidence linked Megrahi with the explosion in which 270 people died. |
Megrahi, 59, denies buying the clothes, but in the interview to be shown on BBC Scotland he said he forgave Mr Gauci. | |
"I'll tell him he dealt with me very wrongly," he said. | |
"I have never seen him in my entire life except when he came to the court. | "I have never seen him in my entire life except when he came to the court. |
"I find him a very simple man. But I do forgive him." | "I find him a very simple man. But I do forgive him." |
BBC Scotland Investigates 2012 - Lockerbie - The Lost Evidence is being shown on BBC1 Scotland at 19:30 on Monday. | BBC Scotland Investigates 2012 - Lockerbie - The Lost Evidence is being shown on BBC1 Scotland at 19:30 on Monday. |