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24/08/2009
Scottish Debate Bomber's Release
The Scottish Justice Secretary has defended his decision to release the Lockerbie bomber in the Scottish Parliament today as members gathered for an emergency debate.
The Scottish Parliament returned a week early to allow MSPs to take part in a debate to question Kenny MacAskill over Abdel Baset al Megrahi's release.
Mr MacAskill was quizzed on how he aims to repair the damage they claim has been done to Scotland's global reputation.
Megrahi had served eight years of a life sentence imposed in 2001 after he was convicted at the Scottish Court in the Netherlands of the murder of 270 people at Lockerbie in December 1988.
Megrahi's returned home to jubilant scenes in the Libyan capital of Tripoli on Thursday. As he stepped off the plane a crowd greeted him waving Libyan and Scottish flags.
The justice Secretary made the decision to free Megrahi on compassionate grounds after medical reports showed that he has terminal prostate cancer and perhaps three months left to live.
The move has been strongly criticised by the US government.
US president Barack Obama and FBI boss Robert Mueller have both hit out at Mr MacAskill's decision.
Scottish Ministers said they understood the upset, but were duty-bound to take the right decision in the eyes of the Scottish legal system.
Scotland's opposition politicians demand Mr MacAskill reveals whether any deals were done "behind the scenes" in relation to the decision.
The justice minister addressed claims Megrahi was pressurised into his decision to drop the appeal against his conviction.
The former First Minister Jack McConnell said MSPs must make it clear they did not support the decision.
He said:"I think it's absolutely vital that the Scottish Parliament... gives a clear indication indication that when the Scottish Government made this decision they were not acting with the support of the people of Scotland."
Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond has continually defended the decision saying the Justice Secretary has made the "right decision" for "absolutely the right reasons".
Henry McLeish, who served as a Labour first minister at the time Megrahi was convicted, has supported Megrahi's release saying Mr MacAskill's conclusion was the right one.
Mr Salmond insists Scotland's relationship with the US is still strong. However many MSPs believe UK-US relations and Scottish businesses could suffer due to the Lockerbie bombers release.
In protest of the decision a website called boycottscotland.com has been set up urging US citizens to boycott the UK and stop buying "British or Scottish products".
(GK/BMcC)
The Scottish Parliament returned a week early to allow MSPs to take part in a debate to question Kenny MacAskill over Abdel Baset al Megrahi's release.
Mr MacAskill was quizzed on how he aims to repair the damage they claim has been done to Scotland's global reputation.
Megrahi had served eight years of a life sentence imposed in 2001 after he was convicted at the Scottish Court in the Netherlands of the murder of 270 people at Lockerbie in December 1988.
Megrahi's returned home to jubilant scenes in the Libyan capital of Tripoli on Thursday. As he stepped off the plane a crowd greeted him waving Libyan and Scottish flags.
The justice Secretary made the decision to free Megrahi on compassionate grounds after medical reports showed that he has terminal prostate cancer and perhaps three months left to live.
The move has been strongly criticised by the US government.
US president Barack Obama and FBI boss Robert Mueller have both hit out at Mr MacAskill's decision.
Scottish Ministers said they understood the upset, but were duty-bound to take the right decision in the eyes of the Scottish legal system.
Scotland's opposition politicians demand Mr MacAskill reveals whether any deals were done "behind the scenes" in relation to the decision.
The justice minister addressed claims Megrahi was pressurised into his decision to drop the appeal against his conviction.
The former First Minister Jack McConnell said MSPs must make it clear they did not support the decision.
He said:"I think it's absolutely vital that the Scottish Parliament... gives a clear indication indication that when the Scottish Government made this decision they were not acting with the support of the people of Scotland."
Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond has continually defended the decision saying the Justice Secretary has made the "right decision" for "absolutely the right reasons".
Henry McLeish, who served as a Labour first minister at the time Megrahi was convicted, has supported Megrahi's release saying Mr MacAskill's conclusion was the right one.
Mr Salmond insists Scotland's relationship with the US is still strong. However many MSPs believe UK-US relations and Scottish businesses could suffer due to the Lockerbie bombers release.
In protest of the decision a website called boycottscotland.com has been set up urging US citizens to boycott the UK and stop buying "British or Scottish products".
(GK/BMcC)
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Despite widespread opposition, the Lockerbie bomber has this afternoon left Scotland on board a plane bound for Libya. Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, 57, was freed from prison on compassionate grounds after being jailed in 2001 for the atrocity which claimed 270 lives in 1988.
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PM 'Breaks Lockerbie Silence'
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23 May 2013
14-Year-Old Rescued From Chimney
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14-Year-Old Rescued From Chimney
A 14-year-old boy has been rescued from a chimney by firefighters who had to dismantle to the 20ft stack brick by brick. The boy was wedged inside the chimney of a single-storey building in Cassels Street, Carluke, South Lanarkshire, but it is not yet known how the boy fell down the chimney.
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:Gale, coastal severe gale, northwest winds ease from late afternoon. Scattered showers will fall as snow over the hills at first, becoming isolated from mid-afternoon. Maximum temperature 7 °C.Tonight:Showers, scattered in the evening, will clear by midnight leaving the night dry with clear spells. Cloud will spread east towards morning. Minimum temperature 2 °C.
