Was Dropping Lockerbie Appeal All Part Of The Deal?

dailymail.co.uk ^ | 01st September 2009 | James Chapman

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Evidence is mounting that the Lockerbie bomber's decision to drop his appeal against conviction was part of a secret deal ahead of his release.

A leaked email suggests that Abdelbaset Ali Al Megrahi was quietly urged to abandon a potentially embarrassing court battle to clear his name in return for freedom.

[KarinG1]

Q: Was Dropping Lockerbie Appeal All Part Of The Deal?

A: Yes. It was never a secret.

Last Updated: Friday, August 14, 2009 | 9:34 AM ET CBC News

Convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi has applied to abandon an appeal of his conviction as Scottish officials consider his request for an early release from prison and transfer to Libya, a report says.

Al-Megrahi, who has prostate cancer, was told earlier this year he must withdraw his appeal in order to be released early from a Scottish prison on compassionate grounds.

"His condition has taken a significant turn for the worse in recent weeks," his lawyer Tony Kelly said in a statement to Reuters. "He applied to the [Scottish] High Court of Justiciary to abandon his appeal against conviction."

The court will meet Tuesday to consider the request, Reuters said.

Scottish officials on Thursday denied British media reports that they have already decided to grant al-Megrahi's request for early release and that he could be returned to his native Libya as early as next week for Ramadan.

Scotland's justice minister said that request is still under consideration and that no decision has been made.

The former Libyan secret service agent is the only person convicted for the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, in which 270 people died, including two Canadians. Most of the victims were American. The Boeing 747 flight from London to New York exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland.

Al-Megrahi, 57, was arrested in 1991 and held under house arrest in Libya until handed over in 1998 to Britain. He was convicted in 2001 by a special Scottish court held in the Netherlands. The current legal action is his second appeal of his conviction.

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/08/14/lockerbie-bomber-appeal014.html