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| Kenny MacAskill faces MSPs over Lockerbie bomber claim | |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill will face MSPs later to address fresh allegations about the Lockerbie bomber's release. | Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill will face MSPs later to address fresh allegations about the Lockerbie bomber's release. |
| A new book claimed the government urged Abdelbasset al-Megrahi to drop his appeal against conviction in exchange for compassionate release. | A new book claimed the government urged Abdelbasset al-Megrahi to drop his appeal against conviction in exchange for compassionate release. |
| Earlier this week Mr MacAskill dismissed the suggestion as "third-hand hearsay". | Earlier this week Mr MacAskill dismissed the suggestion as "third-hand hearsay". |
| He faced calls from opposition parties to make a statement at Holyrood. | He faced calls from opposition parties to make a statement at Holyrood. |
| MSPs will be given about 20 minutes to question Mr MacAskill after he makes his address to parliament. | MSPs will be given about 20 minutes to question Mr MacAskill after he makes his address to parliament. |
| The fresh claims were made in the newly-published biography, Megrahi: You Are My Jury, by writer, researcher and TV producer John Ashton. | The fresh claims were made in the newly-published biography, Megrahi: You Are My Jury, by writer, researcher and TV producer John Ashton. |
| Mr MacAskill freed Megrahi, the only person convicted of the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 in December 1988, on compassionate grounds due to his inoperable cancer in August 2009. | Mr MacAskill freed Megrahi, the only person convicted of the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 in December 1988, on compassionate grounds due to his inoperable cancer in August 2009. |
| Shortly before being freed, the Libyan dropped his second appeal against conviction. | Shortly before being freed, the Libyan dropped his second appeal against conviction. |
| In the book, Megrahi claimed he was told it would be easier for him to get early release from prison if he dropped the appeal. | In the book, Megrahi claimed he was told it would be easier for him to get early release from prison if he dropped the appeal. |
| He said he was told the suggestion came in a private meeting between a Libyan official, Abdulati al-Obedi, and Mr MacAskill. | He said he was told the suggestion came in a private meeting between a Libyan official, Abdulati al-Obedi, and Mr MacAskill. |
| The justice secretary has said the decision to drop the appeal was always one for Megrahi and his legal team. | The justice secretary has said the decision to drop the appeal was always one for Megrahi and his legal team. |
| A Scottish government spokesman categorically denied that it "had any involvement of any kind in Mr Al-Megrahi dropping his appeal". | A Scottish government spokesman categorically denied that it "had any involvement of any kind in Mr Al-Megrahi dropping his appeal". |