APNewsBreak: BP’s Hayward tells congressional panel he won’t testify about Lockerbie bomber

APNewsBreak: BP’s Hayward won’t testify next month

WASHINGTON — Outgoing BP CEO Tony Hayward has refused the Senate Foreign Relation Committee’s request to appear at a hearing next month on the release of the man convicted of bombing Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.

Hayward tells Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., in a letter that he is focusing on ensuring a smooth transition of leadership at the company and will be unable to testify. The committee is looking into whether the British-based oil company had sought Abdel Baset al-Megrahi’s release to help get a $900 million exploration agreement with Libya.

In the letter, obtained by The Associated Press, Hayward noted that British and Scottish officials said they found no evidence that BP played a role in al-Megrahi’s release.