苏格兰司法部长麦克斯基尔为他允许病重的迈格拉希回到利比亚的决定辩护。迈格拉希是1988年洛克比空难的凶手。
麦克斯基尔星期一告诉苏格兰议会，在决定释放迈格拉希之前，他与死难者家属和美国官员进行了磋商。这位司法部长称他是根据苏格兰法律作出这个判决的，并且强调这是他一个人的决定。
迈格拉希被判无期徒刑，理由是他制造了1988年12月的泛美航空公司103号航班爆炸案。苏格兰洛克比的空难造成270人丧生，其中包括近200名准备回家度假的美国公民。
迈格拉希一直声称他是无罪的。他在星期四回到利比亚受到英雄般的欢迎。据说，他计划写书透露洛克比空难的新情况。 洛克比爆炸案是发生在英国的最致命的恐怖袭击事件。
Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has defended his decision to allow the terminally ill Lockerbie bomber to return to Libya.
MacAskill told Scottish lawmakers Monday that he conferred with families of the victims of the disaster, and with top U.S. officials, before approving Abdel Baset al-Megrahi’s release from prison. MacAskill said he followed Scottish law in making the decision, which he added, was his and his alone.
Megrahi was serving a life sentence for his role in the December 1988 mid-air bombing of PanAm Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Two hundred-seventy people were killed in the attack, including nearly 200 Americans returning home for the holidays.
Megrahi has always maintained his innocence. He returned to Libya Thursday to a hero’s welcome, and is said to be planning a book with new information about Britain’s deadliest terror attack.