now the only person found guilty of the crime abdel al- megrahi is a free man because he has cancer and only months to live. >> i'm experiencing a new level of grief. it's an undertow of the rip tide of despair that this could have come about. >> reporter: they believe while al-megrahi may have been the only one in jail but the bombing involved many more people. they say the big fish escaped justice and now al-megrahi has, too. >> they are members of the j.a.l., the libyan intelligence agency, and we feel it was state ordered. megrahi himself. >> everybody on that plane has something to offer. whole families were lost. a 2-year-old baby. this is just incomprehensible that they would let this man go home. >> reporter: she has published some of miriam's writings and

there are a lot of people in libya who believe abdel al- megrahi was the scapegoat in all this. ot think libya had anything to do with this atrocity. that said, abdel al-megrahi was convicted under the scottish legal system, life in prison for the death of 270 people in 1988. trace: his appeal was turned down. the panel of judges in scotland said the appeal was baseless. they turned down the appeal purity was supposed to serve 27 years in prison. this was the worst terrorist atrocity on united kingdom soil. 270 people. not only did he show compassion for the victims on board the flight, there was never any remorse during the time he served in prison. that is one of the big things the families say was so disheartening. now, the scottish government has ruled that he is allowed to go back to his home country and die surrounded by his family. this was an act of compassion because he has prostate cancer. the question becomes, to the families of the victims have any recourse? as john bolton said, the answer is no. jamie: and his family could have been brought to scotland. trace: we wil

relations, because the families of the american victims have felt so strongly about abdel basset mohamed al-megrahi's release and you know, we have libyan leader moammar gadhafi coming to new york for the opening of the u.n. general assembly in a few weeks. >> eric: he'll be here and -- will be here, sitting on the security council righted along president obama and remember abdel basset mohamed al-megrahi, she video of him coming off the plane and "the new york times," gadhafi's son, is denying there is a deal or quid pro quo, he says, there was no hero's welcome. there was not a single government official present. so from the libyan point of view, the reception given to mr. megrahi was lowkey. had it been an official welcome there would have been tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people at the airport. in the "new york times," this morning, from gadhafi's son, do you buy that? >> well, i think that the real kicker in that article is where he says, it is true we didn't mention abdel basset mohamed al-megrahi by name in the discussions. but the issue was always there, on the table. an

the outrage only deepened today after these pictures of libyans celebrating abdel baset al megrahi's release were broadcast around the world. al megrahi, of course, was convicted for the 1988 bombing of pan am 103 over lockerbie scotland. the terror attack killed 270 people. and today, once again, many people were demanding to know just why had he been set free. this matter of justice is once again our "lead focus" tonight. >> reporter: abdel baset al megrahi should not be welcomed back to tripoli, that was the message, the warning to libya from president obama in america. the demand responsible for the deaths of 270 people, the biggest terrorist attack in britain was treated more like a celebrity or royalty changed into a dark suit, he was met off of the plane and then repeatedly hugged by colonel gadhafis own son in front of a jubilant crowd. this morning the foreign secretary david miliband said the sight of a mass murder getting a hero's welcome is deeply distressing. gave the go-ahead for the compassionate release said the celebrations were neither proper, wise or appropriate. b

abdel baset al-megrahi was released from a scottish prison after take being part in the 1988 bombing that killed 200 -- 270 people. the doctors say that he has terminal cancer and will only live a few more months. >>> afghanistan people cast their votes yesterday. straight now both the president and his top challenger are declaring victory. but the official reports will not come out some time tomorrow at the earliest. >>> investors are looking to ride three days of gain into the weekend. many recent reports suggest that the economy is continuing to rebound. but critics point out that they point to a drop in the asian markets and warning investors not to get ahead of theirselves. they say it is only creeping toward a recovery. japan's index did take a hit. but the london, french and german markets are showing gains as of this hour. >>> hoping to put the brakes on a five game losing streak, the orioles come out swinging against the tampa bay raise last night. the raise would make it close at within point in the game. but the oriole was never lose the lead down the stream and win 8- --

scottish authorities have released abdel basset ali al megrahi on compassionate grounds. he has had terminal prostate cancer and returned to libya today. family members of the flight victims are outraged. the obama administration is denouncing abdel basset ali al megrahi's release. >>> the presidential election in afghanistan was disrupted by the taliban today. at least 26 people were killed in rocket attacks and bombings near polling places. the violence was centered in southern afghanistan in a more peaceful area. millions of people lined up to. preliminary results are expected saturday. >>> there is a new push to extend metro rail further in a northern virginia. virginia delegate paul nichols hopes to extend the blue line to potomac mills in woodbridge. congressman jerry connelly wants to extend the orange line to centreville. connelly is hoping to get funding for feasibility study from a transportation bill that's making its way through congress. >>> coming up in this hour of "news4 at 6:00," we will tell you about a counterfeit bust at a mall in virginia. there is a n

, indeed, a guilty man. >> reporter: in tend the scottish government showed mercy where abdel basset ali al megrahi had not. stephanie gosk, nbc news, london. >>housands of libyans greeted abdel basset ali al megrahi on his rival in libya just minutes ago. >>> parents and students in prince william county, virginia, had their back-to-school shopping interrupted today by a police raid. officers and agents seized tens of thousands of counterfeit accessories from one store. julie carey has been following this story for us. she is live at the manassas mall with the latest. julie? >> reporter: that store called luxury fashion accsories is open for business and back for school shopping once again. it was closed for hours during the police raid. its owner faces a felony charge for selling designer knockoff goods. boxes and boxes of knockoff designer handbags, accessories, clothes. that was what prince william county police carted out of this small store in the manassas mall. it also placed the owner under arrest. mall employees say a husband-wife team ran the fax accesso accessories. >> they are so nice.

party, for the possibility that he pressured the government of scotland to let meg megrahi -- abdel basset mohamed al-megrahi go free. >> julie: and gadhafi will be coming to the u.s., pitching a tents in new jersey, inglewood across the river from new york city, he lives in a bedouin tent and over on a mansion over there and can he be stopped from coming and should he be allowed to pitch his tent in new jersey? >> i don't think you and i will be invited to the tent but there is really not a lot we can do there. let me tell you, eric, it gets ber, as you said, libya is on the security council and president obama is going to chair a meeting of the council at the head of government level to discuss nonproliferation. and he'll be there a few seats away from colonel gadhafi and i will be very trod see if they have a public handshake. >> eric: why shouldn't obama boycott the meeting, with him sitting there. >> well, it will be a very interesting test of the obama administration, the faith in united nations and senator schumer called their bluff on that. >> eric: we have to go, thanks, we'll see what happe

abdel al-megrahi was the only man convicted. 189 americans were on board. a scottish judge granted a compassionate release to al- megrahi. he was sent home dying from prostate cancer. >> i feel ill. i feel physically ill. that is the most misplaced compassion i can imagine. >> we just released a man committed of massacring 170 people. we have given state sponsored terrorism a victory and the families have to watch this. this is the last sad chapter in this odyssey. >> president obama said scotland maid a mistake and should not have released him. >> we are now in contact with the libyan government and want to make sure that if in fact this transfer has taken place, that he is not welcomed back in some way, but instead should be under house arrest. >> al-megrahi is now home in libya. thousands on hand to greet him. >>> investigators are hoping for a tip to help solve an arson spree. they are offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads them to the person who torched straw and hay bails and even mailboxes early tuesday morning. audrey barnes picks up th

interest should dictate that abdel basset mohamed al-megrahi the terrorist would be covered by an agreement they were working on, with libya, prisoner transfers and shortly after that, shift in position by jack straw, libya approved a very significant deal for british petroleum and it's important to understand, jack straw had been foreign secretary in the blair government, just a few years before, and he was somebody in the multi-involved in british foreign relations, entertaining to the scottish authority -- explaining to the scottish authorities what was going an and it is as dispositive evidence, about as much as you can get, there was a release the terrorist deal here. >> eric: it was a $24 billion deal, and we have seen it before and oil for food, with saddam hussein, and the claims they -- basically, france, russia, were -- and china were bribed to support saddam hussein and i remember asking kofi annan about that and what they're economic interests and how do they affect national interests, especially with something like this?

an official announcement is expected tomorrow, but sky news citing unnamed sources says abdel al-megrahi will be released from prison on compassionate grounds. the 57-year-old has terminal cancer. he was the only person convicted in the bombing of pan am flight 103. the jet blew up over lockerbie, scotland, killing 270 people, including 8 from maryland. >>> milwaukee's mayor is recovering from his injuries, and talking about what happened when he helped a woman who was being threatened over the weekend. mayor tom barrett was attacked when he tried to help the woman and her 1-year-old band from daughter. barrett and his family were walking through a neighborhood after leaving the wisconsin state fair last saturday when they heard the woman calling for help. as the 55-year-old mayor called 911, the attacker turned on barrett and hit him with a metal pipe, cutting his face, shattering his right hand and knocking out some teeth. barrett says he was just doing what any good citizen would do. >> overall, what i want to stress is how -- i've been in situations in this community my whole life. a

. >> reporr: abdel baset al megrahi should not be welcomed ba to tripoli, that s the message, the warni to libya om president obama in america. the demand responsible for the deaths of 270people, the biggest terrorist atck in britain was treated more lik a celebry or royalty changed into a dark suit, he was met off of thelane and then repeatedly gged by colonel gadhafis o son in fr of jubilant crowd. this morning the foreign secretary david miband said the sght of a ma murder getting a hero's welcome is deeply distresng. gave the go-ahead f the compassione release sa the celebrations were neithe oper, wise or appropriate. but in tripoli a speaker at the youth rally was triumphant. >>ranslator: this m has been distinguied by the safe retu of our other, abdel set al megrai, a new great victory add to the strength of his revolution. it's greatness, it's policy, its historic path and in its leader colonel gadhafi. >> reporter: but it's be the flying of the scottish sold ire flag in celebration at the airporthat's angered politicians of all the oppotion parentsn scotland, who all now condemn

but did that excitement influence the decision to release abdel basset al megrahi, the man convicted of the lockerbie bombing. scottish and british governments say absolutely not. but al megrahi's future and new business opportunities have always been part of bilateral negotiations. 2007, colonel gadhafi's regime sought to re-enter the international community after three decades of sanctions and the then british prime minister tony blair offered a hand. they signed a number of agreements, including a prisoner transfer deal, a massive oil contract involving bp followed immediately. was this a so-called packaged deal? >> a so-called deal in the desert, two things emerged. one was a huge traunch of opportunity in the libyan oil industry for a very well-known international oil company. and the quid pro quo perhaps was the agreement that megrahi would be returned. i'm speculating when i say that, but it does strain common sense a little to believe that there was no connection between the two. >> reporter: the libyans wanted al megrahi to return home and a memorandum on prisoner transfers

justice minister has informed the families of the victims, former libyan intelligence agent, abdel al megrahi, sentenced to a minimum of 27 years will be released on so-called compassionate grounds because he has advance prostate cancer. the families are outraged. >> what is this compassion, compassion for him? my heart is broken, my daughter's birthday is soon, she would have been 41. it's just been living in hell. >> reporter: after the libyan leader, mow mqaddafi gave up hi nuclear weapons, the bush white house took libya off the list of terrorist nations. the obama white house is furious about the decision. talked with them about what a horror they experienced. and i just think it is absolutely wrong. >> reporter: tonight u.s. officials say there is absolutely nothing they can do to stop the convicted bomber from going free. lester. >> andrea, thank you. >> what promises to be a crucial election in afghanistan is hours away. violence leading up to the voting has left five u.s. troops dead. meanwhile, in the afghan capital, three heavily armed taliban gunmen seized control of a bank and tr

abdel baset al megrahi is the only man convicted of the bombing of pan am flight 103. nearly 200 americans were killed. he has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. a scott shi judge will announce today whether the convicted killer -- whether he will send him home to libya to be with his family. >> new credit card rules take effect today designed to protect consumers against sudden rate hikes and fees. you will get your statements at least 21 days before a payment is due. >> well, today's news 4 morning person is someone who gives more than she receives. alice is a very active ra erth th ath green valley seni cizors home in yayerkdee mn er w sinykd morning, shethugh tf roth hthlough fe f oor herngra oyntplemde tofaganeeer and the teun tolsero she sote vunolers to help serve unodfoo the other residents.eik lodomeone like al hamate-ha t person's story along with a clear, close-up picture ve eorn a video to morngpnberson@ cwashington.com. >> well, there are many people who have a fear of flying. one 8-year-old boy in england doesn't fit into that category. tiger brewer jus

. >>> monica, moving on, freed locker ri bomber abdel baset al megrahi has returned to libya. the former libyan secret service agent boarded a private plane in glasgow earlier after being released from a scottish prison on compassionate grounds. he's the only person convicted of the bombing of the pan am flight over lockerbie flight. 189 americans were killed. he was convicted in 2001 and was given a life sentence. many in libya see him as an innocent scapegoat of the west. joining us now by phone is rosemary wolf, whose 20-year-old stepdaughter was killed in the pan am bombing. rosemary your reaction both to him being freed but also the kind of welcome he got in libya today. >> it absolutely disgusts me. i can't tell you how distraught my husband and i are. we are angry and we are in absolute disbelief that the scots did this. they didn't have to do this, but they did it. >> also joining us is senator frank lautenberg of new jersey. i wonder if you could take this opportunity to speak to rosemary wolf and address her concerns and what you have to say to her about what our gov

abdel baset al megrahi was released from prison in scotland. eight years of a life sentence. he was the only person found guilty in the case. scottish officials say they released him on a compassion -- because he was dying because of prostate cancer. the white house says it deeply regrets scotland's decision. president obama urges libya to place al megrahi under house arrest in libya. 270 people perished in the 1988 bombing. the majority of those killed were americans. many of the victims' families say they're outraged that he has been released. >> it is absolutely sickening when you say compassion. i feel ill. i feel physically ill. that is the most misplaced compassion i can imagine. i mean, we could weep, couldn't we, for poor old adolf hitler there, gee, and maybe mussolini and -- we should feel sorry for these people, i guess. >> relatives of some of the victims believes al megrahi was a scapegoat. that it's not entirely clear who actually carried out the bombing. >> i want to see the closure of the justice, which is justice for the relati

abdel basset ali al megrahi was released on compassion yeah grounds because he is dying of cancer and been given three months to live. >> the white house says he didn't have compassion for the lives he took. and those who lost their loved ones are outraged. jay gray has our report. >> as abdel basset ali al megrahi walked out of prison and on a jetliner, the scars he created two decades earlier ripped wide open again. >> it is horrendous we are going through this 20-odd years later, that, you know, the man who murdered our loved ones is about to walk out of jail. and go back to his homeland. >> reporter: megrahi was the only person convicted in the bombing of pan am flight. originally sentenced to life in prison, the secretary of justice in scotland freed megrahi only after eight years behind bars on what he called, quote, compassionate grounds after doctors determined heave suffering through the advanced stages of terminal cancer. >> he should be in a scottish prison and if he were to die there, then that's the way it was men to be. but he shouldn't have been released under any circu

and the release of abdel baset mohammed al megrahi, as i understand it, has been done by the scottish executive, not myself but my successor has no influence over on compassionate grounds applying the normal rules to the abdel baset mohammed al megrahi case. i think it's confusion of two separate things. the libyans always raised it. it's good we have a situation today in which libya has come back in from the cold into the community of nations. >> the convicted bomber has terminal cancer, it's believed he only has a short time to live. he had been serving a life sentence. from fbi director robert mueller a scathing letter to scottish minister for releasing this bomber. your action makes a mockery of the rule of law. your action gives comfort to terrorists around the world. before he was fbi director mueller was a justice department lawyer who led an investigation into the pan am bombing. 270 people died in the december 1988 bombing over lockerbie, scotland. many were americans. here's a look back on a report filed that day 21 years ago by then cnn correspondent. >>> with the first gle

and lockerbie bomber abdel al megrahi, returned to a heroes welcome.apologetic, but still maintaining his innocence. forgiveness is rarely the easy choice. the clinical psychologist, dr. spring, advises acceptance, in place of forgiveness. but there are no rules. inevitably, there is a tension between forgiveness and justice that each of us has to resolve by ourselves. bill? >> interesting. thanks, ron. >>> and we'll be right back. coming up on "good morning america," it is back-to-school season. and we have some of the must-have items from your preschooler to your college student. you may want to take note. >>> and it is "your week in three words." our regular peek into your world. ♪ i might need some help along ♪he way ♪ i like the crunchy flakes and th granola clusters. you know, that's why it says "crunch" on there. yeah, but raisins are before "crunch" on the box. even "bran" made it befoe "crunch." yeah, but look at how big the wod "crunch" is., i mean it just dominates the box. i like the box because in the middle of the word... "kellogg's®" is

and then some to get abdel baset al megrahi convicted and sent to prison.tims of the lockerbie bomb were relentless in their pressure on our government to pursue justice in this case. and in the end, justice was done, only to be undone today. the man responsible for slaughtering 270 innocent people now being allowed to return to his native country, libya, as a hero, to his family, his loved ones, his friends where he can die in peace. from terminal cancer. it's outranls on. al megrahi is a cold-blooded killer. libya, his home country, was a state sponsor of the terrorism that killed these people. compassion was shown this man when he was given a life sentence, not death penalty. now this gentleman, kenny macaskill, decides to turn this animal loose. he ought to be ashamed of himself. what is the message here? that if you commit murderous acts of terrorism and kill hundreds of innocent people it's okay? all you have to do is get sick and all is foregiven. and what about the united states standing by and watching all this happen? where's the condemnation? oh,

abdel baset al-megrahi was greeted by a cheering crowd when he landed in his home country a short time ago. marion wolf was one of the 270 people killed when the plane went down back in 1988. most of the victims were americans. the scottish court released him because he is dying from prostate cancer and that has some victims families outraged. >> we just released a man convicted of massacring 270 people. we have given state sponsors terrorism a victory and the families have to watch all this. twenty years later, this is the last sad chapter in this odyssey. >> he served eight years of his life sentence. we'll hear from his wife. >>> the cia spent several million dollars to kill top members of al-qaeda. that according to a new report in the "new york times." the military contractor known as black water u.s.a. was hired to train and conduct the surveillance for the program. but government officials say it failed to result the capture and killing of any terrorist suspects. leon eliminated that program last june. >>> it might sound kind of messed up, but new york gun laws are clear on this

the only suspect convicted of the crime was this men, libyan abdel basset ali al megrahi. megrahi wasn't convicted until 2001. a scottish court found the father of five guilty of murder and sentenced him to life in prison. but british reports say the convicted terrorist may soon be released on compassionate grounds, or transferred back to a libyan jail. megrahi suffers from terminal prostate cancer that has spread throughout his body. scottish authorities say they are still considering the application for release and that the justice secretary hopes to make a decision this month. at the g-8 summit in italy, libyan president moammar gadhafi met with prime minister gordon brown and lobbied in person for megrahi's release. the libyan government has agreed to pay $1.5 billion to the families of the victims, but their pain even 20 years later is still there. >> the awful rawness of the tragedy tends to recede a bit. >> reporter: in lockerbie today, the ground where the plane hit has been rebuilt. but as abdel basset al megrahi faces a possible release it is a reminder that the

abdel bassett al megrahi from libya has been serving a life sentence in this scottish jail for the mass murder of 270 people killed when pan am flight 103 blew up over lockerbie, scotland in 1988. soon it is expected he'll be a free man. megrahi, now age 57, has terminal prostate cancer and libya asked he be released on compassionate grounds. it's caused outrage especially among families of the 180 americans who died. >> i'm afraid i don't have much compassion for mr. megrahi. i have a lot of compassion for my dead daughter whom i loved and grieve for every single day of my life. >> it was a cold-blooded murder and the families have had to live with it for 20-some years. >> reporter: seven u.s. senators, including ted kennedy, wrote to scotland's justice secretary demanding megrahi be kept in jail. even the secretary of state, hillary clinton, spoke out. >> i just think it is absolutely wrong to release someone who has been in prison based on the evidence about his involvement in such a horrendous crime. >> reporter: but megrahi's legal team argues he has less than three months to live.

abdel baset al megrahi arrived home to a cheering crowd. al megrahi is the only man ever convicted for blowing up the flight over scotland back in 1988. 270 people died, most of them americans, many of them students on their way home for the holidays. a scottish judge decided to release him because he has terminal cancer. the terrorist served just eight years of his life sentence. president obama spoke out against his release and warned libya not to give him a hero's welcome. >>> in afghanistan, two men are declaring themselves the winner of the presidential election. current president hamid karzai says he won re-election, but his chief rival, abdullah abdullah has also claimed victory. millions of afghans cast their ballots yesterday, despite threats from the taliban, but turnout was far lower than it was four years ago. that could hurt karzai's chances for re-election. the first official results aren't expected until tomorrow at the earliest. >> our time right now is 5:37. 79 degrees. a quiet home in anne arundel county becomes the scene

sight for the families of those lost in pan am flight 103 in december, 1988. 57-year-old abdel baset al megrahi, the only man convicted of blowing up the plane, arriving to cheering crowds in libya. >> today to have the man convicted of murdering 270 at 31,000 feet on compassionate grounds is despicable. it's reprehensible. it's immoral. >> i was appalled. i felt sick to my stomach when i heard about it. this man was convicted of the largest mass murder on british soil, and he was allowed to go free. >> reporter: in 2001 al megrahi was convicted of checking the explosive luggage that eventually blew up over lockerbie. carrying a cane, he walked unassisted aboard a plane when he was released from prison. they called it a compassionate release because he is reportedly suffering from prostate cancer. ammerman was among the grief stricken families awaiting at the airport. many syracuse university students coming back from studying abroad. >> they took us up to the lounge. around 11:00, they took us aside individually and told us no one survived. >> reporter: two suspects were tried in the netherlan

and then, abdel baset al- megrahi, oking frail and suffering from terminaprostate cancer, slowly boardedaet sent from libya and tk off for home. alegrahi served eight years of his life sentence. doctors say hhas less than three months to live,nd with that mind, the scottish authorits granted his request to return home to die. >> our justice stem demands that jgement be imposed, but compassion be available. our beliefs dictate th justice be served but mercy be own. compassioand mercy are about upholding thbeliefs that we seek to li by, remaining true to our values as a people, n matter t severity of the ovocation or the atrocity perpeated. >> reporter259 people on board and 11 others othe ground were killed when thplane exploded over lockerbie, scland, torn art by a bomb hidden among t baggag most othe victims-- 189 of them-- were americans family memrs of victims expressed outge at megrahi's lease. bert ammerman lost his brher. >> a then, compassionate rease is the most ludicrous statement i have heard in 20 years regardi pan am flight 10 the man murdered 270 pele, 259 at 3000 feet. i li

a 57-year-old libyan national, abdel al megrahi is the only person convicted in the lockerbie bombingr and he could be released to spend his final days with his family. that prospect is sparking outrage, particularly among the victims' families. >> don't kid yourself! this whole thing is not just about megrahi, it is about appeasing omar gadhafi and it is the oil interests with the governments in tow, which are really behind this. >> so let's bring in jim holgrem, it seems incredible that susan combs' daughter would be in her 40s. these were college studies from syracuse, university. that terror act so complicateded in our history. how does this fit into american policy now that we are normalizing relations with libya? >> it's an embarrassing hangover from a truly terrible crime that has in large part gone unpunished. the families, i think, have a right to feel some outrage, but i think a lot of that outrage comes not so much from the fact that megrahi might be free, but the fact that gadhafi was never punished for this act. and the trial shows conclusively that this would not have ha

and then, abdel baset al- megrahi, looking frail and suffering from terminal prostate cancer, slowlyboarded a jet sent from libya and took off for home. al-megrahi served eight years of his life sentence. doctors say he has less than three months to live, and with that in mind, the scottish authorities granted his request to return home to die. >> our justice system demands that judgement be imposed, but compassion be available. our beliefs dictate that justice be served but mercy be shown. compassion and mercy are about upholding the beliefs that we seek to live by, remaining true to our values as a people, no matter the severity of the provocation or the atrocity perpetrated. >> reporter: 259 people on board and 11 others on the ground were killed when the plane exploded over lockerbie, scotland, torn apart by a bomb hidden among the baggage. most of the victims-- 189 of them-- were americans. family members of victims expressed outrage at megrahi's release. bert ammerman lost his brother. >> and then, compassionate release is the most ludicrous statement i have heard in 20 years r

so, why in the world is abdel basset al megrahi receiving mercy today and returning to his homeland?hing a lot of people are wondering about. a short time ago, president obama said it is a mistake. >> we're now in contact with the libyan government and want to make sure that if, in fact, this transfer has taken place, that he is not welcomed back in some way, but instead should be under house arrest. we've also, obviously, been in contact with the families of the pan-am victims and indicated to them that we don't think this was appropriate. >> by the way, our old buddy steve back there who handles our politics from washington says the state department has put out a statement as well after what the president said, essentially saying that this could come between u.s./libyan relations if they don't respond to the united states' questions about where this man is being kept and how he's being kept. meanwhile, we learned moments ago from the "associated press" that when he arrived in libya, he was greeted as a hero with thousands of people cheering him! cheering a man who killed 270 people

. >>> the release of the lockerbie bomber continues to reverberate 11 days after abdel basset al megrahi was freed from a prison. the paper reports that jack straw had dropped his opposition to a prisoner transfer agreement with libya just weeks before the two countries ratified a big oil exploration deal. but was al megrahi part of that prisoner agreement? that's where it all gets a bit murky. >> was the only man convicted of the lockerbie bombing and murder of 270 people released in return for 15 billion pounds of oil rights? tony blair visited colonel khadafy to talk oil and the blanket prisoner transfer agreement that could see al megrahi sent back to tripoli. but the british had pledged to the americans that he'd serve his sentence in scotland. the oil deal stalled. it's now emerged that jack straw changed britain's position and in a letter to kenny mccaskill, the scottish justice secretary at the end of 2007 wrote -- the wider negotiations are reaching a critical stage and in a few of the overwhelming interests of the united kingdom, i have agreed that in this instance, the prisone

libyan man convicted of the 1988 bombing of a pan am jetliner over lockerbie, that's because abdel baset al megrahi was convicted ten years later, has terminal cancer. the possibility of an early release for al megrahi has divided some relatives of those who died. >> there was no compassion shown for the 270 victims who were murdered, and so i think we have shown him more compassion than he showed his victims. >> i should be very delighted if he does go home to his family to die. and i'm very pleased to hear they are encouraging thorlts to use compassionate release. >> after al megrahi's conviction, they denounced terrorism and libya's relations with the west started to improve. >>> secretary of state hillary clinton was in liberia today as she neared the end of her 11-day visit to africa. the west african nation found by freed american slaves is led by the continent's first democratically elected female president. and today clinton had strong praise for ellen johnson-sirleaf and her accomplishments. despite a recent apology for johnson-sirleaf for giving an example to charles taylor, an infamiliar

abdel sset al megrahi, convicted in 2001 for t lockbie bombing, now terminally ill with proste cancer be released on compassionate grounds and be allowed to returto libya to die. >> reporter: the dtruction of pan am flight 103 remains o of the bloodie terror attacks ever launch at the west and one which was iediately blamed on liby at the timef the lockerbie bombing, the naon was a pariah state, internaonally shunne accused of sponsoring terrorism. its leader a figure of ha in thewest. it was onlafter 15 yea of sanctions that liby finally admitted it carried out the bombinand paidompensation to victims' filies. and thin a year, tonyblair was visiting tripoli to show th relations were bk to rmal, a controversial al enabling prisoners to be trsferred between the nations was also ageed, and at the same time trade deals we being struck the day after the two leaders met, the bp announc it s spending half a billion pounds to search for oil i libya. >> should a killer be freed amst in a obal war on terr? this morning wll talk to outraged family mbers of his viims. >> reporte today's decision

abdel basset al megrahi, convicted in 2001 for the a jddq uq)minally ill with pros cancer be released on compassionate grounds and be allowed to return to libya to die. >> reporter: the destruction of pan am flight 103 remains one of the bloodiest terror attacks ever launched at the west and one which was immediately blamed on libya. at the time of the lockerbie bombing, the nation was a pariah state, internationally shunned, accused of sponsoring terrorism. its leader a figure of hate in the west. it was only after 15 years of sanctions that libya finally admitted it carried out the bombing and paid compensation to victims' families. and within a year, tony blair was visiting tripoli to show that relations were back to normal, a controversial deal enabling prisoners to be transferred between the nations was also agreed, and at the same time trade deals were being struck the day after the two leaders met, the bp announced it was spending half a billion pounds to search for oil in libya. >> set to go free today. should a killer be released amidst in a global war on terror? this morning

. >> reporter: this was how the libyan leader ghaddafi greeted abdel basset al megrahi. he could have welcoming a prodigal son, rather than a convicted terrorist. in an unprecedented move, the director of the f.b.i. weighed in today two decades ago as a prosecutor, he investigated the bombing of pan am 103. in an uncompromising letter he blasted the scottish minister responsible for releasing megrahi. now there are growing accusations from family members and others that megrahi was released in order to pave the way for more british business deals with libya, especially oil deals. allegations the british government rejects. >> the idea that the british government, the libyan government would sit down and somehow barter over the freedom or the life of this libyan prisoner and make it form part of some business deal, it's not only wrong. it's completely implausible and actually quite offensive. >> reporter: but in these pictures taken on board the libyan plane carrying al-megrahi to freedom, ghaddafi's son tells him, "in all the trade, oil, and gas deals, whenever british i

unbelievable sight for the families of those lost in pan am flight 103 in december 1988. 57-year-old abdel basset al megrahi, the only man convicted of blowing up the plane, arriving to cheering crowd in libya. >> today, to have the man that was convicted of murdering 270--259 at 31,000 feet compassionate ground is despicable. it's reprehensible. it's immoral. >> i was appalled. i felt sick to my stomach when i heard about it. this man was 86ed of the largest mass murder on british soil, and he was allowed to go free. >> reporter: in 2001, megrahi was convicted of checking the exploded luggage that blew up over-- lockerbie. this morning, carrying a kane, he walked unassisted aaboard a libyan plane. scottish authorities called it a compassionate release because he's reportedly suffering from terminal prostate cancer. ammerman was among the grief-stricken members awaiting the arrival of loved ones that night at kennedy airport, many parents of syracuse university students returning from studying abroad. >> they took us up to the louchbl and told us no one survived. >> reporter: 13 years after the bombing, two

to condemn scotland for its release of abdel bassed al megrahi. from a scottish prison and greeted by a crowd. schumer says that hero's welcome was outrageous. 273 people were killed on pan-am flight -- abdel bassed al megrahi was released on compassionate grounds. >> president obama is headed to nargetia's vinyard today, but before leaving the president recorded his weekly address on the health care fight. brian mooar has the story from washington. >> before leaving on vacation president obama fired a parting shot in the fight over health care reform. >> it also should be an honest debate, not one dom nayed by willful distortion and misrepresentations. >> the president insists his plan includes no death panels or taxpayer-funded poringses, and he said the other option will not be a government take-over. >> it sounds scary to me, too, but here's the thing -- it's not true. >> that counter message continues to -- republicans say it is the president playing fast and loose with the facts. >> the president regularly tells americans if you like your pla

abdel basset ali al megrahi left scotland and returned to libya last night. he was embraced by the son of libyan leader moammar gadhafi. it was the welcome that british officials advised libya to avoid when they released abdel basset ali al megrahi on compassionate grounds. the lockerbie bomber has terminal prostate cancer and doctors say he only has three months to live. nevertheless, his homecoming was painful for some british politicians to watch. >> all of us seeing the television last night found it distasteful. people should remember that this man was convicted of, you know, a very, very serious crime. remember the feeling of the families and friends of all those who died. >> 270 people were killed when a bomb caused pan am flight 103 to crash in lockerbie, scotland. the flight from london was on its way to new york. the vast majority of the victims were americans. today president obama said he thoughthat the bomber's elaborate homecoming was, in his words, highly objectionable. earlier white house press secretary robert gibbs described the scene as out

will be many who disagree with him but he has decided to release the convicted mass murder abdel baset al megrahiion that mr. abdel baset al megrahi, convicted in 2001 for the lockerbie bombing, now terminally ill with prostate cancer, be released on compassionate grounds and allowed to return to libya to die. >> reporter: and those reasons are that under scottish law any prisoner that is suffering from a terminal illness and applies for compassionate -- or to be released on compassion nal grounds has the right for that to be considered. now, we understand that mr. megrahi's health has deteriorated considerably. the justice minister said that he consulted a number of doct doctors, ta

a huge crowd in tripoli celebrated abdel baset al megrahi's arrival. he was released from a scottish prison after only eight years of a life sentence. he was convicted of wlo blowing up pan am flight 103 over lockerbie, scotland. he was set free because he was dying of cancer, a decision president barack obama called a mistake and some family members agreed. >> it's hard for me to believe it. that this was even put on the table, that this was even considered because it seems so fictitious and just unreal that they would even consider letting out or transferring a mass murderer convicted within the scottish law of 270 people. >> as he mentioned, 270 people were killed when that pan am flight exploded just before christmas in 1988. libya paid $1.5 billion to the victims' families a year ago. that was to end lawsuits in the case and to so-called normalize relations with the u.s. >>> one branch of the veterans affairs department handed out at least $24 million in bonuses in 2007 and 2008, some with little or no justification. that is what the agency's insp