Lockerbie bomber’s family to sue Scotland over ‘medical neglect’ in jail: Gaddafi

LONDON - Libyan dictator Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi has revealed that the family of Lockerbie bomber Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi is preparing a multi-million pound compensation claim against Scotland for false imprisonment and medical neglect.

Megrahi was the only man convicted of 270 counts of murder for the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, on December 21, 1988, and was sentenced to life imprisonment.

The 58-year-old was freed on compassionate grounds by the Scottish government in August 2009 after a medical report said that he had terminal prostate cancer and was expected to have less than three months to live

However, over a year on, Megrahi is still alive and living in Tripoli. He was released because he was considered dead, and yet he is still alive,” the Scotsman quoted Gaddafi, as saying.

“His health was not looked after during his time in prison. He didn’t have any periodic examination. After he passes away his family will demand compensation because he was deliberately neglected in prison,” he added.

Gaddafi further reiterated claims that Megrahi was innocent of the Lockerbie bombing despite the dropping of his appeal against the conviction.

“The charges directed towards Libya were based on unfounded evidence in an attempt to weaken the Libyan Revolution and limit its resources and abilities,” he said.

Megrahi had served his Scottish jail sentence at Greenock’s Gateside Prison, where he had his own private suite and enjoyed luxuries such as satellite television, paid for with Libyan government money.eanwhile, claims of neglect in jail have sparked an angry response in Scotland.

Bill Aitken, Tory justice spokesman, said: “Many will find it quite offensive to suggest that the Scottish Prison Service or the Scottish justice system denies any prisoner the appropriate treatment for any condition.”

“Colonel Gaddafi can say what he likes, but as Megrahi seems to be taking an inordinate time to die it seems it will be some time before any action is initiated,” he added. (ANI)