Government officials in the North African nation are dismissing growing global suspicion that the man convicted of the 1988 destruction of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, was freed as part of deal to swing oil concessions to British Petroleum company.
Abdel Basset al-Megrahi was freed from prison in Scotland last month, returning to a joyous reunion in Libya. A Scottish official said the decision was made on the grounds of compassion, to allow al-Megrahi, a cancer patient, to die at home. But the move angered many in the United States and in Britain, and generated press speculation that it was linked to a 2007 deal giving BP generous oil concessions. “Linking this [BP contract’ with a deal over Megrahi makes me laugh,” said Mohammed Siala, secretary for international cooperation at the Libyan Foreign Ministry. “We are talking about economic resources belonging to every Libyan and no one can do anything that differs from this very transparent process.”
