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Scottish Minister of Justice Visits Al-Megrahi in Greenock Prison
8 August 2009
The Scottish Minister of Justice Kenny MacAskill met Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi in his prison on Wednesday as the minister considered a request for him to be transferred to his homeland, Libya. Al Megrahi has terminal prostate cancer and has also lodged a separate application for compassionate release. The two met in Greenock prison where Megrahi is serving a life sentence for his unjust conviction in 2001 for blowing up Pan Am flight 103 in December 1988. The trial of Al Megrahi has been considered by legal experts around the world as unfair and he has been innocent all the way. Mr. MacAskill, who has the final say over whether Megrahi should be transferred or released, arrived in his ministerial car at 9am and left an hour later, making no comment, The Scotsman reported on Wednesday. Megrahi's lawyer Tony Kelly also took part in the visit but made no comment as he left the jail just after 10am., the paper said. The Libya has already asked for Megrahi to be released or moved to a jail in Libya under the recently agreed prisoner transfer agreement. Mr MacAskill cannot grant the prisoner a transfer while his appeal against his conviction for the bombing goes through the courts. However, the Justice Secretary can still consider the application from Libya. Megrahi has also made a separate appeal for release on compassionate grounds as he has terminal cancer. SNP backbencher Christine Grahame, who has already met Megrahi in jail, told the Associated Press that he should be given compassionate release. He would not have to drop his appeal for this to be granted, unlike the prisoner transfer option. Mr MacAskill has said that political and economic factors will not influence his decision and that a 90-day deadline on the prisoner transfer will not be met. Ms Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, said she believed there had been a miscarriage of justice. But she added: "The trouble with a prisoner transfer is it will never be resolved through the Scottish courts. "The appeal must proceed, and justice be done and seen to be done." Asked if Mr MacAskill's visit set a "very dangerous precedent", she replied: "I think it's appropriate that when someone's considering what's to happen to someone who's terminally ill and in prison that all aspects are examined." The minister has spoken to the US Attorney General and the US and British families of the Lockerbie bomb victims.
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