Scots, Brits reluctant to explain Lockerbie release

Guardian:

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But the former UK justice secretary was involved in drawing up a prisoner transfer agreement between Britain and Libya. This was not used in the release of Megrahi, but senators are trying to establish whether a $900m (£590m) oil exploration deal signed by BP and Libya "directly or indirectly influenced" the decision to release Megrahi.

Straw highlighted British unease about the senate investigation when he questioned whether it was right for a foreign legislature to question a British MP about decisions taken lawfully in the UK. In a statement, he said he had no problem in explaining the background to the prisoner transfer agreement with Libya.

But he added: "Before coming to any decision as to whether to accept this invitation I shall be consulting Gordon Brown, as prime minister at the time, and seeking the advice of the Foreign Office. It is in my experience highly unusual for the legislature of one sovereign state to conduct an inquiry into decisions of another sovereign state, including, as in this case, decisions by the devolved administration on the release of the prisoner. There are therefore important issues of principle here which could affect UK governments of any party and which need carefully to be considered before I come to a final view."

A Scottish government spokesperson said that MacAskill would not be attending because Alex Salmond, the first minister, had provided "comprehensive information and assistance" for the committee. Scottish government officials, while publicly insisting they have no information to add on BP's lobbying of UK ministers, are understood to be concerned that MacAskill may be used as a political whipping boy by members of the Senate committee, who would use the hearing as a platform to attack Edinburgh over the release.

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The explanations to date have been unsatisfactory. Releasing a mass murderer for "humanitarian" reasons is just inexplicable. Since the killer has not died as forecast when the release was made, makes the deal look even more suspect, and then there is the BP angle. The issue is likely to remain as a thorn in the relationship until some satisfactory answers are forthcoming.