Libya: “Britain Sold Us Back Our Terrorist”
Aug 22, 2009 5 Comments ›› Pat Dollard
The international furore over the release of the Lockerbie bomber deepened today after he was seen embracing Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi.
In scenes that will provoke outrage among victims’ families and the U.S. government, TV footage showed Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi meeting Gaddafi in Tripoli.
It came as Gordon Brown faced fresh pressure after shocking claims by Libya that the release of the bomber was linked explicity to trade deals benefiting Britain.
Gaddafi’s son Saif al-Islam said Megrahi’s case was discussed at every meeting between the then Prime Minister Tony Blair and the Libyan leader.
But the Foreign Office strongly denied any link between the boosting of UK business interests and the freeing of the man convicted of Britain’s worst terrorist atrocity.
A spokesman insisted: ‘No deal has been made between the UK Government and Libya in relation to Megrahi and any commercial interests.’
The growing sense of unease in Downing Street intensified today after Col Gaddafi praised ‘my friend’ Gordon Brown and the British Government for their part in securing Megrahi’s freedom.
‘To my friends in Scotland, the Scottish National Party, and Scottish prime minister, and the foreign secretary, I praise their courage for having proved their independence in decision making despite the unacceptable and unreasonable measures that they faced. Nevertheless they took this courageously right and humanitarian decision,’ he said.
‘And I say to my friend Brown, the Prime Minister of Britain, his Government, the Queen of Britain, Elizabeth, and Prince Andrew, who all contributed to encouraging the Scottish government to take this historic and courageous decision, despite the obstacles.’
Lord Mandelson today stepped into the growing diplomatic row by denying any deals were made between Libya and Britain.
He said: ‘It’s not only completely wrong to make such a suggestion it’s also quite offensive.’
The trade claim will intensify demands for Mr Brown to come clean about exactly what contacts Britain had with the former pariah state before Megrahi was freed on compassionate grounds – he has terminal prostate cancer.
Speaking on Libyan television, Colonel Gaddafi’s son said Mr Blair raised the Megrahi case repeatedly to smooth the way for British firms to tap into Libya’s energy reserves.
He told the Al Mutawassit channel: ‘In all commercial contracts, for oil and gas with Britain, (Megrahi) was always on the negotiating table.’
Mr Gaddafi, who discussed the case with Business Secretary Lord Mandelson when they met in Corfu just weeks ago, hailed Megrahi’s the release as a ‘victory’ for all Libyans.
As he left a London hospital today following a prostate operation, Lord Mandelson denied any deals were made between Libya and Britain and said the suggestion was ‘offensive’.
He said: ‘It’s not only completely wrong to make such a suggestion it’s also quite offensive.’
Of his meetings with Colonel Gaddafi’s son he said he had met him twice this year.
‘As I have already stated, on both occasions Mr Gaddafi raised the issue of the Libyan prisoner in Scotland’s release as all representatives of the Libyan government do,’ Lord Mandelson said.
‘They had the same response from me as they would have had from any other member of the Government.
‘The issue of the prisoner’s release was entirely a matter for the Scottish Justice Minister.
‘That is how it was left, that is how it was well understood.’
He said it was a devolved matter and told reporters there was ‘no agreement between the Libyan government and the British government’.
He said: ‘It has been a matter entirely for the Scottish Justice Minister to exercise his discretion.’
According to Lord Mandelson there was ‘no link’ between the release of Megrahi and business relations.
He said: ‘The issue of the prisoner’s release is quite separate from the general matter of our relations and indeed the prisoner’s release has not been influenced in any way by the British Government so the business relations will take their course regardless of what happens to this individual.’
He also criticised the scenes of celebration in Libya and said: ‘It’s very insensitive. You just have to think about what is going through the minds of the families who have lost loved ones in a terrible tragedy.’
Megrahi himself called his freedom ‘something amazing’.
Sitting on a sofa in his family home in Tripoli he said: ‘I’m very, very happy.
‘This was always my hope and wish to be back with my family before I pass away.’
He told The Times his 86-year-old mother had not stopped crying.
Megrahi said: ‘I told her “You should laugh not cry”. She doesn’t know I am ill.’
He also insisted he would have won an appeal against his conviction for murdering 270 people when Pan Am Flight 103 blew up over Lockerbie in December 1988.
Mr Brown had already been pulled into the centre of the storm when it emerged that Colonel Gaddafi defied his personal plea for a low key homecoming.
David Cameron accused Mr Brown, who is on holiday in Scotland, of a colossal failure of leadership. The Tory leader wrote to him demanding to know whether he thought the release on compassionate grounds of Megrahi was ‘right or wrong’.
He said it was ‘curious’ that Mr Brown had not expressed any view on Scottish Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill’s decision to free him.
Mr Cameron said the decision had been ‘widely condemned’ across the world, including by President Obama. He also demanded details of all communications on the affair between the Government and the authorities in Libya and Scotland.
Mr Cameron wrote: ‘The fact that the decision to release was taken by the Scottish Justice Secretary does not preclude you, as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, from now expressing your opinion on a subject that is of great public concern, and which affects Britain’s international reputation and our relations with our allies.
‘It is curious that while others have commented, Britain’s Prime Minister has not. I hope you will now take the opportunity to do so.’
Critics said the disclosure that Mr Brown had written to Colonel Gaddafi undermined his insistence the UK had not been involved in the case.
Tony Blair has been accused of agreeing a ‘blood money’ deal involving the Lockerbie bomber with Gaddafi in a meeting two years ago – just hours before BP unveiled a £500million oil contract.
