Call to speed up Lockerbie bomber’s appeal process

Calls were made yesterday for the Lockerbie bomber’s appeal to be speeded up after it emerged that he was battling “advanced-stage” cancer.

Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi was diagnosed with prostate cancer after hospital tests last month and the disease has spread to other parts of his body.

The 56-year-old former Libyan intelligence agent is serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 27 years for the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 in 1988 that led to the deaths of 270 people. He was taken from his cell at Greenock Prison under tight security to undergo the tests at Inverclyde Royal Hospital in Greenock last month.

Politicians and the father of one of the Lockerbie victims said yesterday that the Scottish authorities must now ensure alMegrahi’s appeal was heard as soon as possible.

He was convicted of the Lockerbie bombing in 2001.

He lost an appeal in 2002 but was given a fresh chance to clear his name in June last year when the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (SCCRC) referred his case back to appeal judges for a second time. His appeal is due to be heard next year. Dr Jim Swire, whose daughter, Flora, died in the bombing, said: “If his prognosis is bad, then I hope that the Scottish authorities would look for a way of speeding up the next appeal without compromising the fairness of it.”

His views were echoed by former Labour MP Tam Dalyell, who is convinced of alMegrahi’s innocence.

“My view is there is a moral obligation to speed up the (appeal) process,” said the 76-year-old.

AlMegrahi’s solicitor, Tony Kelly, said his client had been diagnosed with prostate cancer last month.

He added: “Unfortunately, the disease has spread to other parts of his body and is therefore at an advanced stage. Mr alMegrahi asks that the privacy of his family is respected at this difficult time. He wishes me to make clear that the fight to overturn his wrongful conviction for the Lockerbie bombing will go on.”

The Libyan won a legal victory last week in the latest stage of his bid to have his conviction overturned.

The Scottish Court Service said speeding up the appeal would require a formal application to the court.

The Scottish Government said there had been no talks or discussions about the possibility of transferring al Megrahi to Libya.

American Daniel Cohen, whose daughter died in the atrocity, said he believed AlMegrahi should spend the rest of his life behind bars.

He told STV’s Scotland Today: “I want to see Megrahi die in a Scottish prison.

“If it’s 20 years from now or if it’s six months from now, then so be it.

“There is no such thing as compassionate release for mass murder.”