Scotland

Megrahi greeted by cheering crowd and Col. Gaddafi's son

Britain and US have strongly condemned the jubilant welcome given in Libya to the man convicted of the bombing of a US plane after he was freed from a Scottish prison on "compassionate grounds." Most of the 270 people who died when Pan Am Flight 103 blew up over Scottish town of Lockerbie were Americans. (189 )

Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill announced the release order on Thursday morning. British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the decision to release Megrahi had been a choice for the Scottish Justice Secretary alone.

Megrahi was met by Col Gaddafi's son on arrival in Libya. Seif al-Islam Gaddafi thanked both the Scottish and British governments for their "brave stance." "I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Scottish government for taking this brave decision and for taking into account the special humanitarian circumstances."

"I would also like to thank our friends in the British government who played an important part in bringing about this happy ending, and I will say that the Libyan people will not forget this brave stance taken by the British and Scottish governments..." in his statement.

Some major British oil and gas companies, bidding for highly competitive contracts with Libya, could benefit from improved relations between both countries following Megrahi's release. Megrahi was sentenced to life in prison after the conviction in January 2001, but only served about eight years before his released. The total number of days he actually served for the death on each victim in his terrorism is about 10-11 days. It probably is the best punishment a convicted terrorist can get for committing an act of terrorism in Britain.

The full truth about the Lockerbie bombing probably will never emerge, Megrahi, a member of Libyan Intelligence Services was convicted of murder at a trial held under Scottish law in Netherlands but has always denied being behind the bombing . If he is involved; the Libyan government, once a sponsor of worldwide terrorism, including support for the IRA, must have been involved too. But with Britain and America doing big business with Libya now, perhaps it is in no-one's political interests to have the truth emerge.