is abdelbaset ali al megrahi's own lawyer considers mr. bdelbaset ali al megrahi would receive better treatment than in scotland than libia. presiding officer, compassion and justice would have been better served than by convicted terrorists as a hero in libia to a backdrop. [gavel] >> equally disturbing is the prime minister gore can brow his decision was significant implication of policy and trade. so whap jot efforts are now being untaken by gordon brown to limit the damage done to our countries international representation and to our economy. >> of course we have seen that i thk the suggestion that we could have gone to hospice is ludicrous. people go there to obtai the last few moments to suggest that we could have sent to any hospice i scotland where others would have seen turned into that. [applause] >> this was a suggest that he could have gone to the house in newton. we took advice from the our largest police authority. 14 officers to be with him in the house. to hospice, we didn't see a problem for those entitled to die in peace.

mr. al- megrahi and his legal representatives. >> dismayed by the release, president obama had lobbied for al-megrahi to be placed under house arrest. the manner of his return at naturally strained burgeoning relations with libya. at the moment, no one knows of this displeasure will result in action, potentially death -- jeopardize and lucrative investment deals with western companies. >> we will have more on this story a little later and of course bbc.com is where you will find the background. let us look at the rest of the ms. they have been quick to claim victory, both president karzai and his main challenger abdullah already are saying they won yesterday's presidential election. preliminary results will be released next week. the counting of ballots is over, according to the election authorities. let us go to the afghan capital and join my colleagues there. >> welcome to kabul on a warm, sunny day. the afghan election continued to take its course. voters have voted. we are still not sure how many. the counting is almost done and now the compiling begins. it could be a day or so before

mr. al-megrahi now faces a sentence imposed by a higher power. >> his hero's return for the man convicted of the uk's worst terrorist atrocity praise on the minds of many. this brings up questions of the libyan sensitivity, but it appears colonel gaddafi was not listening. what does he understand how much the decision has angered the majority in scotland -- >> does he understand how much the decision has anchor the majority in scotland? does he seem to be aware of the issues in releasing a convicted bomber? >> questions were also raised about the role of the british government in the release. gordon brown met gaddafi last month, in so far he has not commented on the controversy. >> this is an extraordinary silence on the part of the prime minister, gordon brown. this decision has significant implications for foreign policy and trade. what joint efforts are now being undertaken by gordon brown to limit the damage? >> mr. macaskill repeated that he had fallen due process. he suggested that -- he said that suggestions that al-megrahi could have spent his final days in hospital work the crest

mr. al-megrahi now faces a sentence imposed by a higher power. >> this hero's return for the man convictedu.k.'s worst terrorist atrocity still played on the minds of many. mr. mccaskill said he had asked the libyans for sensitivity but it appears colonel gadhafi wasn't listening. >> does he understand how much that decision angered the majority in scotland, how ashamed we were to see our flag flying to welcome a convicted bomber home and does he understand how astonished we were when he visited a convicted murderer in prison? >> questions were also raised about the role of the british government in megrahi's release. gordon brown met colonel gadhafi last month but has failed to comment on the controversy. >> equally disturbing is the extraordinary and incomprehensible silence of the prime minister, gordon brown. this government's flawed decision has significant implications for foreign policy and trade, so what joint efforts are now being undertaken by alex sal mond and gordon brown to limit the damage? >> mr. mccaskill reiterated he had followed due process and believed there was also in

mr. al-megrahi now faces a sentence imposed by a higher power. it is one that no court in any jurisdiction in any land could revoke or overruled. >> polls have closed in afghanistan after a day of voting for the presidential election. counting has begun. 15 million were eligible to vote, but it looks as though taliban threats kept many away from the polling stations. welcome to "bbc world news," broadcast to our viewers on pbs in america and around the globe. coming up later, the suspected hijackers of the cargo ship bound in west africa on monday are back in moscow. and lightning strikes twice as usain bolt breaks another world record, this time in the 200 meter. hello to you. the man convicted for the lockerbie bombing has arrived in libya, facing death from terminal cancer. for that reason, released early from his life sentence by the scholars -- scottish government. abdelbaset ali al-megrahi issued a statement, including his sympathy for the unimaginable loss of family members and again pleaded his innocence. the white house condemned the dec

mr. al megrahi now faces a sentence imposed by a higher power. >> reporter: after boarding his flight home, megrahi who always maintained he is innocent and was appealing his conviction issued a statement. >>> to those victims' ril tifz who can bear to here me say this -- they continue to have my sincere sympathy. this horrible ordeal is not ended by my return to libya it may never end for me until i die. >> reporter: there are those who support megrahi's release, jim swire lost his daughter flora on the flight. >> i think there should always be a place in any nation's behavior for compassion. >> reporter: innocent dying man or mass murderer set free, megrahi's release leaves many doubts about whether justice has been served. but when he arrived home in tripoli tonight wearing a dark suit, hundreds of cheering supporters were waiting for him. it was expected megrahi would be celebrated on his return to libya. most people there don't think he is guilty, think he was a scapegoat. and few seem to be heeding the state department's warning that his return be kept low key. that he not be made in

mr. al megrahi should be released on compassionate grounds. disagree whatever my decision. however, a decision has to be made. scotland will forever remember the crime that has been perpetrated against our people and those from many other lands. the pain and suffering will remain forever. some hurt can never heal, some scars can never fade. those who have been bereaved, cannot be expected to forget, let alone forgive. their pain runs deep, and the wounds remain. however, mr. al megrahi now faces a sentence imposed by higher power. it is one that no court in any jurisdiction, in any land could revoke or overrule. it is terminal, final, and irrevocable, he is going to die. in scotland, we are a people who pride ourselves on our humanity. it is viewed as a defining characteristic as scotland and the scottish people. the perpetration of an atrocity and outrage cannot and should not be a basis for losing sight of who we are, the values we seek to uphold, and the faith and beliefs by which we seek to live. mr. al megrahi did not show his victims any

mr. al-megrahi. there was a press conference, i understand, that they held earlier in the day, and i will let them speak for themselves. >> the cia and the interrogations. the former cia director michael haden, in his words, he said it would be destructive for it to happen. and also, where are you in determining about the investigation? >> we do have a deadline on monday, and we are working with our colleagues in the cia to release only those things that we think will be consistent with our national security interests, and yet responsive to what our responsibilities are as a result of that lawsuit, so we will not be doing anything that will endanger the american people or in some ways less and our national security. with regard to any ongoing decisions, we will speak to that when a decision is made. >> a question about lockerbie. what are your concerns that this decision by the scottish executive, what is your concern about the message this is sending to people that might consider doing this? that yo

mr. al megrahi now faces a sentence imposed by a higher power. it is one that no court in any jurisdiction in any land could revoke or overrule. it is terminal, final, and irrevocable. he is going to die. >> all 270 people on board pan-am flight 103 were killed when that plane exploded over lockerbie, scotland in december of 1988. >>> today president obama will lobby both liberals and conservatives in his push for an overhaul of the nation's health care system. this afternoon he'll speak with a conservative radio talk show host who will broadcast from the white house. afterwards he'll promote his reform plan in a conference call and online address to liberal activists organizing for america. that's his political organization based at the democratic national committee. the senate finance committee will also resume bipartisan talks today in an attempt to reach a compromise. >>> a physician's assistant is face sexual battery charges after two female patients accuse him of touching them inappropriately. fairfax county police say that jorge sanchez ha

mr. al-megrahi. >> now, shep, that is simply not true. hate to call british prime minister gordon brown and jack straw lawyers, but they have -- the al-megrahi release is clearly a matter of foreign policy. it is gordon brown and jack straw had wanted to stop the release of al-megrahi, they could have done so -- if they had wanted to, they could have done so, and it could have been that they did not because of its multibillion-dollar oil deal. shepard: if they did that without saying anything to the united states, i am sorry, they will have to do something about that. gecko: right. uh, well maybe how geico's the third-largest car insurance company in america? nice tidbit there. boss: exactly. and i've been thinking, looking a bit more businesslike might help too. gecko: oh my. uhhh, no it's, what's, what's the word... vogeico. 15 minutes could save you 15 percent or more on car insurance. >> hi, i am janice dean pm we are watching a southern california, and the weather is not helping firefighters contain that wildfire just north of los an

al megrahi this morning on compassionate grounds. the justice secretary says al megrahi has terminal prostate cancer and is expected to die soon. >> mrrahi, a sentence imposed by higher power. it is one that no court in any jurisdiction in any land could revoke or overrule. >> nbc's dawnna friesen joins me now from glasgow, scotland. dawnna, can you tell us what went into the minister's decision to free al megrahi? >> reporter: yeah. well, he said a couple of things about that, nancy. first of all, he made it clear that he knows many people will not agree with his decision, because people feel so deeply about this. but he said that he followed scottish law. he followed due process. and under that law, it gives power to the justice secretary to release prisoners on compassionate grounds. he said, it doesn't specify exactly what those grounds are, but guidance from the past has suggested that when a prisoner is suffering a terminal illness and is believed to have only three months left to live, then, you know, it may be considered to release that person on compassionate grounds. now, he went to great lengths, he says, to have mr. megra

al megrahi. justice secretary kenny mack askill contends libya was supposed to keep out al megrahi a lowell coming. he says it was appropriate to release the prisoner who is dying of prostate cancer. >> mr. al megrahi, as i say, did not show his victims any comfort or compassion. they were not allowed to return to the bosom of theiral families to see out their lives, let alone their dying days. no compassion was shown by him to them. but that alone is not a reason for us to deny compassion to him and his family in his final days. >> al megrahi was convicted of blowing up a panam jetliner over lockerbie, scotland. >>> malaysian model and mother was spared six lashes of the cane. at least for the time being. her crime? drinking beer in public. that's a violation of the strict law which bans muslims from consuming alcohol. now, her caning in malaysia is postponed until the end of the islamic holy month of ramadan. she pleaded guilty in a religious court and she would be the first woman caned for violating malaysia's religious laws. >>> there's more drama in the life of actes lindsey lohan. why police were called to her los angeles home for the second time in four months now. >>> thankfully

mr. abdelbaset ali al megrahi, convicted in 2001 for the lockerbie bombing, now dying of prostate cancer, be released on compassionate terms and be allowed to return to libya to die. that was my decision, and i will answer questions. >> thank you, and i will now take questions of issues raised on this statement. it would be helpful if members who ask question push their buttons now. >> thank you, and can i thank the justice for making a statement and being available in advance. last week the scottish decision made a wrong decision, the scottish system has compassion running through it, and that's why we have no death penalty and appeal and parole and that's why prisoners can apply for compassionate release. and that compassion by justice and the rights of victims and the right of society. and that's why the final judgment in this case was rightly the ministers. he had a requirement to consider an application, but not a duty to grant it. i acknowledge it was a difficult decision. but does he understand how much that decision has angered the majority of scotland. does he understand how asha

mr. matte -- al-megrahi. it was not in the jurisdiction of the u.k. government.en if it had been, we would not have struck the deal. >> in tonight's medical alert, and new studies suggest that 60% of adults do not have the ability to properly digest milk. lactose intolerance is what is called. it has a lot to do with your ancestors. researchers say genetic mutation developed in europe about 7500 years ago allowed them to continue drinking milk as an adult. on about 5% of asians and one- quarter of african-american and caribbean people can tolerate milk. it is almost nonexistent among native american people curato. a painful condition after surgery, it is kind of a blockage. it is usually from breast cancer patients. it does not hurt women who may have had lymphedema and it may just help them. >> jackie cooper was an exercise fanatic before she was diagnosed with breast cancer for nine years ago. she had a double mastectomy -- 4. five years ago. should a double mastectomy and it started showing early signs of lymphedema accurate >> it looks like a line underneath

mr. al megrahi should be released.by my decision. >> lawmakers called back as outrage grows over the release of a killer and terrorist who gets a hero's welcome. >>> new video of fiddel castro from death's door to remarkable comeback? what is his story? >>> is nature trying to tell us something? watch the iceberg melt and the waves form as if on cue. a new report on torture. now, will there be prosecutions? it's breaking news and we're on it on

mr. al megrahi is being considered for a compassionate release because of his illness. my thought is, just think about that. the word compassionate means someone who has mercy, sympathetic, charitable, humane. my question is, did mr. megrahi as he planted a bomb on a u.s. airliner reflect on any compassion for the people he was about to blow out of the skies and the people on the ground in lockerbie? i think not. therefore, this terrorist who killed 270 innocent people should never, ever qualify for anything compassionate. >> have you had any contact with this man since the incident? >> we went to the trial every day, either in the netherlands or in new york on closed-circuit tv. so we saw him all the time at the trial. but the evidence was so strong against him, he was guilty. i reviewed the evidence with friends of mine who were u.s. prosecutors and they went down through the evidence and they said, jack, he's guilty and you're going to get him. you're not going to get the other. the other one was released as a result. okay? but i was aware that that could happen. mr.

mr. 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

mr. 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

mr. al megrahi kill 270 people?d by a scottish court. >> is it normal procedure in scotland that someone, a convicted mass murderer who gets cancer is free to go home to his wife and family? >> well, frankly, in scotland we don't have many convicted mass murderers. this tragedy devastated our country as it did the lives of people in the united states and elsewhere. >> is there any precedent in scotland where a mass murderer, someone who killed 270 people in cold blood, has been freed to go home to his wife and family because he's suffering from cancer? >> this crime is unprecedented in our small country. it's actually the worst atrocity, terrorist atrocity ever perpetrated anywhere within the united kingdom. so it's a circumstance that has never happened before, and i hope that it's a circumstance that will never reoccur. >> are there precedents where murderers, just regular murderers, someone who killed someone in cold blood and served only a very small portion of his or her sentence has been free to go home and sp

mr. abdel basat al-megrahi, convicted in 2001 for the lockerbie bombing, now terminally ill with prostate, be released on compassionate grounds and allowed to return to libya to die. greta: is anything that our country could have done to keep him behind bars? we are joined by the fbi special agent in charge of the investigation of the lockerbie bombing. compassion, can you believe that? >> it is depressing. that is the only way that i can express this. greta: looking at the tape, he got cheered. i'm speechless as khaled. tell me, what was this man's role in this crime? -- i am speechless at scotland. gretait is believed that he smud the bomb on the the plane. he arranged to have it put on the plane in conjunction with one of his associates on the morning of december 21st. he also had connections to the company that built the timer on the bomb. greta: i've never seen anything like this where a person kills 270 people. did anyone consulted the fbi that had work to this case? >> we have known for a long time that it was possible there would be a prisoner transfer because of an agreement reac

mr. al megrahi was received in such an inappropriate manner. >> the libyan leader gaddafi wants to pitchvictims' families. there were plans for him to stay in a tent at a libyan-owned estate. a senior is state department official calls it "awful" but as host as the united nations, the u.s. may not be able to stop it. >>> a lot of seniors are concerned about how changes to health care will impact medicare in thing like access to prescription drugs. as this debate rages on, there's a small but local group of seniors who are opposed to president obama's health care reform plan and they're showing that they're disapproving of it by turning in their aarp cards. after the president said aarp was backing the plan, the group said it lost at least 60,000 members, still a small percentage of the 40 million roster, that's despite the fact that the aarp only supports portions of the proposal. i'm joined by elaine travis, somebody who gave up her membership and the current board chair for aarp bonnie cramer. thanks so both of you for being with us this morning. as we know, there's been a lot of fiery

mr. brown reiterated that it was a scottish decision to release al megrahi. but even there, there was dismay at libya's behavior. >> i don't agree with the reception that mr. megrahi was given. i think it was insensitive and certainly poorly advised. but, you know, we can't control what the libyan government and libyan people do. all we can control is was the scott stitch government and system can do. >> reporter: his son to britain regarding his release despite number 10 trying to distance itself from that decision. but downing street has now weighed in warning libya how it handles his release will be looked at everyone and will influence what countries think. but today the conservative leader wrote to gordon brown criticizing his failure to say what he thought of megrahi's return to libya writing it is curious that while others have commented, britain's own prime minister has not. i believe that the public are entitled to know what you think of the decision to release megrahi. one man who's unlikely to be heading to libya, the duke of york. his plan to visit

mr. abdel basset ali al megrahi convicted in 2001 for the lockerbie bombing, now terminally ill with prostate cancer, released on passionate grounds. >> reporter: after serving eight years in priso oprison, megrahi back to libya. >> we thought it was a mistake. we are now in contact with the libyan government and want to make sure that he's not welcomed back in some way but instead should be under house arrest. >> the idea of compassionate release whereby he may be free to go home to libya to his family is quite difficult to take if he is, 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 t

al megrahi. >> when he met mr. afi over the summer, i made it absolutely clear to him that we had no role in making the decision about megrahi's future. because it was a quasi judicial matter, because it was a matter legislated for by the scottish parliament and not by us. it was a matter over which we could not interfere and had no control over the final outcome. >> now, the issue with that statement, "the times" of london report that's weeks before al megrahi's release, a british government minister sent a letter to the scotts suggesting they let the convicted terrorist go. according to "the times," peter mendelson, british's minister said he discussed it twice this year in meetings with gadhafi's son, including one talk a week before the announcement, though he denied negotiating any release in exchange for oil deals. yesterday, an emergency session of parliament, the scottish justice secretary who freed al megrahi, blamed the prisoner transfer agreement by former prime minister tony blair as the reason al megrah

al megrahi on compassionate grounds. >> for these reasons and these reasons alone it is my decision that mr. l 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

mr. brown reiterated the scottish decision to release al megrahi. released for good behavior. >> i don't agree with the perception he was given -- certainly advised but we can't control what the government or the people do. all we can control is what the scottish government and the scottish justice system can do. >> reporter: gadhafi sought for al megrahi's release trying to distance itself from that decision that downing street has now weighed in warning libya that how it handles his release will be looked at by everybody and will influence what countries think. said to the conservative leader wrote to gordon brown criticizing his failure to say what he thought on al ma gray hi's return to libya commenting his own prime minister has not. i believe that public are entitled to know what you think of the decision to release megrahi. one man unlikely to head to libya, the duke of york. his plans to visit tripoli on a trade mission next month are now being reconsider. libya might have its man back, but the uk might have hoped to improve relations and tr

mr. mccaskill reiterated he had followedue press and believed there was als internationalupport for his decision. he said suggestions that megrahiave spent his final days in a hpice were ludicrous. will now be for m.p.'s to decide if they' convinced b his arguments. jane frances kelly, bbc news. >> looks as if firefighter in eece are beginng to contain the wildfires that have threatened thesuburbs ofthens for the days. thousands have h to fleetheir homes. large parts of the countside arnd the greek capil have been dtroyed. derek hughes snt the day in e of the areas wot affected. >> people arsing whatever comes to hand to fight tse fires. at the monaery east of t capital, nuns use ses to beat ck the flames. they've helped save mt of the medieval buildings the fight t contain greece's wildfires continued. these waterbombin aircraft are one of the effective weapons agains the flames but such is the spreadf these fires acrs a ge area north and east o hens, help came too late her -- one buildin lost,but the main hou save th biggest danger is the speed withhich these fires can move. just an hour or soago, th whole area was in flames,

mr. straw wrote to scottish counter part that britain opposed the release of al megrahi. in december of 2007 he reversed that decision saying they would allow him to be part of a deal to release certain prisoners. then just six weeks after that january 29, 2008, libya suddenly ratified a multi billion-dollar oil and gas deal with the british-based company b.p. so that doesn't prove anything. it doesn't prove there was a quid pro quo, but it certainly is raising some eyebrows, shep. >> did the white house know? did the brits tell the white house? it's hard to imagine they would. >> it's very hard to imagine they wouldn't. we don't have any proof either way right now as to whether the british government, the scottish government, or the u.k. government sitting in london told the white house what was happening. it is hard to believe that they wouldn't inform them if they were about to release a man who had killed 180 americans. but two options here. either they did tell the bush administration or later the obama administration and they signed off on it, which is bad enough. a

al m megrahi's release. >> as i used to say to them, i don't have the power to release mr.i, and the release that has taken place is a decision by the scottish executive, which has taken place on the compassionate grounds and those compassionate grounds didn't even exist a few years back. the court was absolutely right, but we made it clear, the only way this could be dealt with was through the proper procedures. >> and libyan leader muammar khaddafi's support for the release has gained outrage. >>> a terrorist was acquitted of illegally possessing and transporting explosives. the case pitted national security against charges of racial profiling. and john zarrella has more. >> reporter: the federal government tried painting megahi as a terrorist. in a major set back, an immigration judge has dismissed the case, saying prosecutors didn't prove it, no surprise to garry maringer. >> whatever he did, there's no evidence of it, thank god in this country, you have to prove somebody guilty before you can incarcerate them. >> megahed who came to the u.s. from libya in 1988 was char

mrs. cohen, good morning to you. >> good morning. >> susan, as you're watching this video yesterday of al megrahi descending the steps of this planes he's being cheered on, as people are next to him with their fists raised in the air, what were you thinking? >> i was furious, and i was sick. this whole thing, this whole release is absolutely appalling. it's a shameful, shameful thing. it's really just part of a process of appeasing gadhafi. his oil -- the oil interests have been eager to give gadhafi what he wants. the governments of the west are following through and doing this. gadhafi has always wanted to get megrahi out. it erases pan am 103. it erases lockerbie. now there's no one even in prison for the crime. when gadhafi rolls into new york at the end of september to address the u.n., he will roll in in triumph because, in a way, he's succeeding in making this horrible thing that destroyed my life go away. >> when the president speaks out, president obama, and says, this was a mistake, is that any consolation for you? >> well, i think that's a rather soft word for it. i've tried for a very long time, as have other families,

al megrahe on compassionate grounds. he is dying of prostate cancer and has less than three months to live. today, the head of the scottish government weighed in. >> i don't agree that mr. megrahias -- i think it was incensed, certainly poorly advised but we can't control what the libyan government, the libyan people do. all we are in control of is what the scottish government and the scottish justice system can do. >> lehrer: british prime minister gordon brown had asked libya to handle the homecoming with sensitivity. today, megrahe was kept out of the spotlight with no official comment on his whereabouts, or coverage on state television. north korean officials sent by kim jong-il arrived in south korea today. they were there to mourn the former south korean president kim day jhung. the group of high-level officials laid a wreath at a memorial for the former president, who died on tuesday. kim brokered the first summit between the two koreas in 2000. the north korean delegation will not stay for kim's funeral on sunday. but they will meet with the south's unification minister. the season's first atlantic hurricane lost steam as it moved closer to bermuda. hurricane bill with

headline is suggesting the lockerbie bomber al megrahi was released as a result of a deal for oil and it's wholly untrue. there was no deal over the release of mronly ratified by libya's parliament after the british government agreed a prisoner transfer deal between the countries would not exclude al megrahi specifically. britain's justice secretary jack straw admits the government had pushed for al megrahi not to be eligible for transfer under the agreement but libya refused and britain relented. the deal always allowed for the scottish government to veto any transfer. al megrahi's application under the transfer agreement was refused by the scottish government. instead, he was released under scottish law on compassionate grounds because he's dying of cancer. scotland's first minister insists justice was his government's only consideration. >> a difficult, controversial decision, a challenging decision. let's take it for the right reasons and the right reasons were to release a dying man on compassionate grounds. >> reporter: this report is damaging but is not a smoking gun. for the moment the british and scottish government seem to have their