New Lockerbie book by Kenny MacAskill reveals that Justice Secretary advised al-Megrahi to drop his appeal against bombing conviction – in order to gain his eventual brokered release on compassionate grounds.
Tom Peterkin
Scotsman
February 29, 2012
ABDELBASET al Megrahi has revealed that Kenny MacAskill believed he should drop his appeal against his Lockerbie bombing conviction to make it “easier” for him to be released on compassionate grounds.
Through a third party, the Justice Secretary’s view was made known to Megrahi while he languished in jail, even though there is no legal requirement for an appeal to be dropped for a prisoner to be granted compassionate release.
The reason why Megrahi chose to abandon his legal action to clear his name has been something of a mystery and spawned much speculation that his release was the result of a political deal.
The explosive revelation is contained in a book published today, in which the Libyan protests his innocence and gives his own account of the events that led to him walking free from a Scottish jail despite being found guilty of the worst mass murder in British legal history.
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