Shropshire Star

MP Kawczynski demands Lockerbie bomber inquiry

A UK public inquiry should be held into the release of the Lockerbie bomber, Shrewsbury's MP said today. Tory Daniel Kawczynski chairs the Westminster all-party group on Libya.

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A UK public inquiry should be held into the release of the Lockerbie bomber, Shrewsbury's MP said today. Tory Daniel Kawczynski chairs the Westminster all-party group on Libya.

He also called on Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill to apologise for the "huge error" in releasing Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi almost a year ago.

David Cameron is expected to face criticism from American politicians over claims that BP lobbied for the release of Megrahi to secure an oil deal, as the Prime Minister flies to the United States today for his first official visit since taking office.

But Mr Kawcynski today said: "Clearly Mr MacAskill has made a huge error which has impacted on British foreign policy.

"So far, I haven't heard any explanation or apology from Mr MacAskill and it's very daunting for relatives of those who have died when ministers make decisions which turn out to be flawed, then they're not prepared to account for themselves and not even prepared to apologise."

The Scottish Government released Megrahi from prison on compassionate grounds in August last year after medical advice indicated he had less than three months to live.

Megrahi is the only man to have been convicted of the Lockerbie atrocity, which saw 270 people killed in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 on December 21 1988.

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