Minister to meet Lockerbie bomber

Mr MacAskill would have to approve Megrahi's return to Libya

Scotland's justice secretary is to meet the Libyan convicted of the Lockerbie bombing, fuelling speculation he is ready to drop his appeal.

Abdelbaset Ali Al-Megrahi has terminal cancer, and wants to serve the remainder of his sentence in Libya.

Libya has applied for him to be returned under a prisoner transfer treaty, but it cannot take place while legal proceedings are ongoing.

A date for Megrahi's meeting with Kenny MacAskill has still to be fixed.

He is serving a life sentence at Greenock Prison for the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 which claimed 270 lives.

A decision on Megrahi's second appeal against conviction will not be made until the autumn because one of the judges is recovering from heart surgery.

Megrahi's lawyers have argued he may not live that long.

Last week, Mr MacAskill met a delegation from the Libyan Government and held a video link with the US Attorney General and some American family members.

The Libyan's lawyer Tony Kelly said his client would welcome a meeting to put his case to Mr MacAskill.

He declined to comment on weekend reports that Megrahi has handed over a signed document to the Libyan Government agreeing to drop his appeal if he is allowed home.