Lockerbie bomber move discussed

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has met Libyan government officials to discuss their bid to have the Lockerbie bomber transferred from Scotland.

He has already met some UK relatives of those who died in the bombing and spoken to the US attorney general.

Libyan authorities applied two months ago to move Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi from Greenock Prison to a Libyan jail.

The Scottish Government said the talks were part of the "ongoing process" of considering that application.

A spokesman also revealed that Mr MacAskill will listen to representations from US victims' families later this week.

Last month Mr MacAskill stressed that he wanted to have all the relevant information before making a decision on the application.

Second appeal

He said then: "Hearing these representations is a key part of that process."

However, Mr MacAskill has insisted that any decision on whether or not to transfer Megrahi - who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer - will be made on judicial grounds alone.

Megrahi's second appeal against his conviction for the 1988 bombing, which claimed 270 lives, is currently under way in Edinburgh.

The prisoner transfer application was received early in May, and a decision would normally be made within 90 days - although this could take longer if further information is required.

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