The Obama administration told Scottish officials last August that, although it opposed any release of the Lockerbie bomber, it would rather see him released in Scotland than transferred to a Libyan prison, according to a secret memo obtained by The Sunday Times in London.

The publication of the memo's contents comes just days after President Obama, at a press conference with British Prime Minister David Cameron, said "all of us ... were surprised, disappointed and angry" by the Scottish government's decision to free Abdel Baset al-Megrahi last year.

According to The Sunday Times report, the Obama administration weighed in last year in the memo sent by Richard LeBaron, deputy head of the U.S. Embassy in London, to Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond and other justice officials. In the memo, dated Aug. 12, LeBaron argued against the release....