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Lockerbie: Britons back convict's release but US families outraged

Families of the Americans killed in the Lockerbie bombing expressed outrage yesterday that the Scottish government could be on the verge of sending the convicted Libyan bomber home. However, relatives of the British dead, many of whom have long doubted the guilt of Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi, backed his release from jail in Scotland.

Jim Swire, whose 24-year-old daughter Flora was on Pan Am Flight 103, said: “I would be delighted if he went home to his family, as it is inhumane to keep him locked up. Everything points to a miscarriage of justice in the case.

“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.”

Martin Cadman, whose 32-year-old son Bill died in the disaster, said: “I hope it is true as it’s something we’ve been wanting for a long time. I think he is innocent and even if he were not innocent, I still think it’s the right thing to do on compassionate grounds.”

But in the United States there was bewilderment and disbelief that al-Megrahi would be allowed to go home...
Read entire article at Times (UK)