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Medical revelation adds to Lockerbie bomber anniversary row

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The Lockerbie bomber was released on the basis of “flawed” medical evidence, a leading cancer specialist has claimed.

Ms Dix, who lives in Woking, Surrey, added that too much confusion surrounds the legal process.

Bob Monetti, from New Jersey in the US, who lost his son Rick in the attack, added: “Hopefully the Gaddafi regime will fall and we’ll find out more. It has certainly put the Scottish Government in a bad light.”

Mr Monetti added that he “absolutely disagreed” with the decision to free Megrahi, and that the idea he can be properly monitored in Libya is a “joke.”

However, other relatives of victims and campaigners have expressed doubts about the issue, Robert Forrester of the Justice for Megrahi campaign hitting out at the “annual Lockerbie bomber blood fest.”

And last night a spokesman for First Minister Alex Salmond again defended the process by which Megrahi, the only man ever convicted of the 1988 atrocity that claimed 270 lives, was released.

He said: “The medical advice to the justice secretary came from Dr Andrew Fraser, and Dr Fraser concluded that his clinical assessment was that a three-month prognosis was a reasonable estimate, drawing on the work of a range of specialists and other Scottish health service professionals involved in Al-Megrahi’s care from when he was first diagnosed with cancer in 2008.

“Dr Fraser is a professional of impeccable integrity. Whether people support or oppose the decision, it was made following the due process of Scots Law, we stand by it, and Al-Megrahi is dying of terminal prostate cancer.”

Megrahi served nearly eight years of a 27-year sentence after being convicted of killing 270 people in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 on December 21, 1988.

Professor Roger Kirby said the doctor responsible for compiling the medical reports that saw Abdelbaset al-Megrahi freed on compassionate grounds two years ago today was not aware of all available treatments.

He said drugs such as abiraterone, not available in the UK, are “transforming” the prospects for prostate cancer sufferers and making them live “longer and longer.”

Megrahi was thought to have less than three months to live when he was released from Greenock Prison on August 20, 2009.

Professor Kirby’s comments come as the second anniversary of the controversial decision sparks renewed criticism of the SNP Government.

Relatives of victims killed in the bombing and opposition politicians at Holyrood are demanding an apology from First Minister Alex Salmond.

Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray said it was a sign of First Minister Alex Salmond’s “arrogance” that he has refused to apologise for releasing Megrahi.

“Two years on it is clear he got it terribly wrong. He claims the decision was made on compassionate grounds, but it is time he showed some compassion for the families of the victims.

“It is a further insult to the victims that he refuses still to publish all the medical evidence the release was based on.

“If the decision was made for humanitarian reasons, he should do the humane thing and apologise for the pain caused to the relatives.”

Scottish Conservative justice spokesman John Lamont added: “It is time for an apology from Alex Salmond and the SNP.”

Pamela Dix, whose brother Peter was killed in the bombing, said: “The fact that it’s now years later means that the decision was probably made on a spurious basis.

“I’m sure Kenny MacAskill made it in good faith, but why are we having this discussion now? It’s just another thing that remains unsolved.”

Continued…