Lockerbie bomber’s release divides families of victims

Relatives of the 270 people killed in the Lockerbie bombing were today divided over the expected release of the man found guilty of Britain's worst terrorist atrocity.

British relatives, led by Dr Jim Swire, have long believed that Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi was wrongly convicted of planting the bomb on the Pan  Am jet, which exploded over the Scottish borders town in 1988, and should be allowed to return home to die. But American relatives said they were horrified at reports that the Scottish government was set to allow Al Megrahi to return to Libya on compassionate grounds, in time for Ramadan next Friday.

Al Megrahi, who has terminal prostate cancer, is mid-way through a second appeal against his conviction. He was sentenced to a minimum of 27 years in 2001. A fellow defendant was found not guilty. The bomb killed 259 people on board the plane and 11 on the ground. Susan Cohen, whose only child, Theodora, 20, was one of 35 Syracuse University students to lose their lives, said: "Any letting out of Megrahi would be a disgrace. It makes me sick, and if there is a compassionate release then I think that is vile."

American Stephanie Bernstein, who lost her husband Michael in the attack, said freeing Al Megrahi would send a message that terrorism was not being taken seriously.

She told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I think it would play right into Colonel Gaddafi's hands. It shows that if you bide your time and if you wait long enough you can be rewarded."

But Dr Swire, who lost his 23-year-old daughter Flora, said: "I am someone who does not believe he is guilty. The sooner he is back with his family the better.

"On reasonable human grounds it is the right thing to do and if it's true that he is to be returned on compassionate grounds then that would be more to Scotland's credit than returning him under the prisoner transfer agreement. It would mean that he can go to his family who he adores and live the last of his days with them."

Martin Cadman, who lost his son Bill, aged 32, said: "I think he is innocent and even if he were not innocent I still think it's certainly the right thing to do on compassionate grounds."

Scottish justice secretary Kenny MacAskill has been studying Al Megrahi's second request for release on compassionate grounds for months and visited him last week in Greenock prison. An initial request for release was rejected last year when a court failed to accept that Al Megrahi had little time left to live.

A Scottish government spokesman said: "No decision has been made on applications under the prisoner transfer agreement or compassionate early release by Mr Al Megrahi."

Video: Lockerbie relative says Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi's appeal should continue