belfastuniguy

The Government of Perseus The Imperial Colony of Perseus operates with semi-autonomous status within the Atlantean Empire with a directly elected Colonial Council as the governing authority with responsibility for matters ranging from economic development, health, education, taxation, border defence, security to the environment. The Imperial Government in Atlantis City has the power to over-rule the Council should it be determined the Council is no longer the best platform to govern the colony. His Imperial Majesty the Emperor appoints a Governor-General to act as the Head of the Colonial Council and represent the colony to other nations and leaders. He reserves the power to dissolve the Colonial Council and acts to serve the best interests of both the Persusian people and the Emperor. While the Council holds far ranging powers it must follow policy directions and guidelines from the Imperial Government and adhere to all laws specific to the colony, in return they are afforded a greater degree of freedom and generous levels of Atlantean support both political and economic. The Colonial Council consists of two parts, the Colonial Chamber and the Council itself. The Chamber is the primary forum of political debate in Perseus and its members drawn from all sections of Persusian society. The Chamber operates a proportional representation system with the majority party forming the Council. The main parties of the Chamber are; The Social Democrats, The Perseus Alliance Party, The Progressive Democratic Party and the Green Coalition. The Colonial Council acts in a similar function a governmental cabinet with a great degree of powers devolved from the Atlantean Imperial Government. The Head of the Council is the Governor-General and is de-facto Deputy Head of State. In 1990 the Colonial Council moved to their new home in the new Council Building located at the head of the Perseus Mall, a large ceremonial plaza in the centre of the newly developed Government District. Designed by Michael Mauir it sought to emulate the power and prestige of other government buildings around the world. His crowning feature was to be a magnificent dome with an interior to surpass even the greatest architectural wonders of the world. Many thanks for viewing and comments are appreciated. The next update will look at the laws of Perseus, government institutions and diplomatic relations with the wider world

Nope. I have tried CXL and wasn't impressed. I have an enormous amount of custom content in my cities and I will only buy CXL once those tools have been made available. Until then I will continue using SC4.

It's absolutely fantastic news Craig, by far the best bid and I'm pleased your hard work has paid off. We're all very proud of you and the achievement

Perseus has been showcased as part of the Imperial Atlanten Empire CJ in the older CJ forum. However, I have decided to also create a CJ for Perseus. A lot of what will be seen is copuied, by new content is already under way and this will be updated constantly Once a British Colony and later dependency, the island state of Perseus, formerly known as Ben Madigan, was the site of a crashed Atlantean exploration vessel over 3000 years ago. The Pioneer, was one of the earliest and most privative warp drive enabled ships launched by the planetary nation of Atlantis and soon after that launch contact was lost with The Pioneer and search missions were called off after a further 3 months of intensive investigation. Unknown to the Atlantean Space Federation the ship had travelled further than any other in history as the result of likely spacial abnormality, its engines soon failed and it dropped from warp into what we now know as the Sol System, crippled it scanned planets in the system and decided to crash land on the planet unknown to them as Earth. The ship left Atlantis with 300 persons on-board, it is unknown how many survived, though DNA analysis suggest approximately 81 survived. The event remained undetected until the crash site was disturbed. The island was first populated by Celtic settlers from what is now Royal Cytheria and established a port on the eastern coast of the island. In 200BC they broke away from Cytheria and established a new region called Lellan. The island remained reality prosperous until 1360AD when European traders brought Black Plague to Lellan killing over 20,000. For years after the population declined until a second outbreak that killed 9000 led to many emigrating to Cytheria and surrounding Atlantica-Alba nations. By 1530 the population stood at 5600, the trading port declined and economic hardship was rampant. In 1610 a naval ship from Britain landed and immediately word was sent back to England of the possible benefit of the island. Over the next few years the old port was redeveloped and new ports on the western coasts were also developed. In 1620 the British Naval commanders imposed new civil laws on the island. The remaining native population angered by the moves of the 'foreign' forces revolted against the British presence, parts of the port town of Illford were burned and three navy vessel sunk. The acts of violence and disorder continued for over a year as reinforcements from England were sent. The navy forces landed in 1622 and brutally crushed the revolt. Over 600 natives fled to Royal Cytheria and a further 400 were executed. The remaining population pledged loyalty to the British crown and nation. In 1640 Lellan had British rule imposed and the island was annexed as the newest colony of the British Empire, a protest from Royal Cytheria was ignored and fearing possible war with Britain, the Cytherian Royal Court dropped their objection . Work then commenced on rebuilding the island's towns and ports, he colony was renamed Ben Madigan. In 1700 King William III sent the first Governor-General to run Ben Madigan, he oversaw the small port town of Illford become the primary naval base and port for England in the Atlantic and would serve as a base from which trade to the wider British colonies would use as well as the home of the fleet that would protect them. In 1710 Ben Madigan was given a Royal Charter, schools could use 'Royal' in their name and they were allocated more tax revenue. A new and the first Royal residence was also constructed. During the First World War Ben Madigan supplied soldiers to assist the war effort in Europe. At the outbreak of the second world war the colony was vital in continued production aircraft, ammunition shipping and production of food. It was beyond the reach of German bombers and as such do not suffer the fate of many of its sister industrial cities in Britain and Northern Ireland. The Atlantic fleet in Ben Madigan were ordered to protect the colony, the American colonies and provide protection for shipping using the Atlantic. During quarrying work on Ben Madigan in the late 1940's. The remains of the craft had badly decayed with only small fragments remaining, However, Earth 3, the Atlantean probe placed in Earth's orbit detected foreign and suspect radiation not before seen on Earth. The probe started highly detailed scans and the results were transmitted to Atlantis and after detailed analysis it was determined the area was the site in which the Pioneer rested. In 1953 a covert diplomatic and scientific team were sent to Ben Madigan and in private talks with Atlantean, Ben Madigan and British government officials it was agreed covert DNA analysis would be carried out to determine if any Atlantean's had survived and went on to help populate the island. The results proved conclusive, however the British refused to acknowledge any possible Atlantean involvement in the territory or allow further talks and denied the Atlantean governments request to annex Ben Madigan as a colony under Atlantean Protection. In 1955 oil was discovered off the western coast of Ben Madigan and extraction and exports began in 1959. In 1960 the colony was given self-governing status as a dependant colony of the United Kingdom. Oil revenue and further developing trade with Atlantica-Alba brought great wealth to the colony and cities underwent redevelopment and enhancement. In 1965 talks resumed after a change of government in the United Kingdom and Atlantis agreeing to some concessions and was prepared to pay the British Government of transfer of sovereignty, in effect the island was initially purchased by Atlantis. The island declared independence from the United Kingdom in 1971 which went unchallenged from London which was met by howls of protest for the opposition Conservative party. Work then began on small scale projects to improve the island's infrastructure, long neglected by the British. In 1974 the official handover ceremony was conducted after the the population were finally informed of the situation and given the opportunity to decide on their future. The Atlantis government recognised their right to self-determination and a national referendum was held. It was a bitterly fought and campaign with the NO side stirring fears of a brutal foreign power making demands and how they would face global exclusion and ridicule . The YES campaign focused on the benefits of such a move, the investment, economic stability, security and increased freedoms while detailing the promise of fair representation and retention of many Ben Madigan institutions. TV screens and national press were flooded of images of Atlantis and her cities, their wealth, power, ideals and freedoms. The YES campaign succeeded with the population voting 65.8% to 34.2% in favour of becoming the official Imperial Atlantean Colony of Perseus. Soon after Atlantean officials spoke to the population in a speech broadcast live on prime-time TV and announced the 40 Year Plan. The entire island was be transformed from its laws to the very streets the people walked. Over 800 billion would be spent over the 40 years on delivering wholesale development and upgrade to national infrastructure, new airports, ports, military facilities, public spaces, new buildings and a total upgrade of every mile of national utility infrastructure. The Persusian Golden Age was to begin......

Enough. abcvs - ST Related Moderator

Forgive me for not being somewhat suspicious of the 'sudden' change.

I like my bubble thank you very much. I'm secure, happy and incredibly solvent, thus couldn't care less what others think...to be honest. I enjoy my life, depressed people and those that moan I have no time for. i want to know, have you ever been properly unemployed?quote> No, I didn't work during school as that was frowned upon and my parents were happy to support me until I started university, then I decided I wanted to work. I came out of school, into university and into a job as well, rather nice job it was at the time as well, was part-time but was making serious money...commission see.

Originally posted by: hamsterTK regardless of this particular issue, I've always felt it was sad how NASA is always starved for fundingquote> I agree, I think the budget cutbacks have been absolutely shocking.

I had a great deal of respect for him and his desire to improve the opportunity and fortune for average Americans. He also played an important role in the shaping and development of a lasting peace in Northern Ireland and was highly influential in attracting new investment and development funding for Northern Ireland. A truly great political mind who will be missed.

Lockerbie bomber 'to be released' I would just be horrified, says Kathleen Flynn who lost her son in the bombing The Libyan man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing is likely to be freed on compassionate grounds next week, the BBC understands. Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, who has terminal prostate cancer, is serving life for murdering 270 people when Pan Am flight 103 exploded in 1988. Scottish ministers described the development as "complete speculation". Kathleen Flynn, whose son died on the plane, told the BBC she was horrified the "terrorist" could be released. She added that he showed no mercy as he planted his bomb and should "never qualify for anything compassionate". "Did Megrahi as he planted a bomb on a US airliner reflect on any compassion for the people he was about to blow up out of the skies and the people on the ground in Lockerbie? I think not," she said. Megrahi was ordered to serve a minimum of 27 years in jail Reaction to bomber 'release' Lengthy legal road from Lockerbie The BBC's Daniel Sandford in Washington said "broadly" families in the UK were concerned about the conviction, whereas US relatives were convinced of his guilt. American Susan Cohen, whose 20-year-old daughter Theodora also died, said: "Any letting out of Megrahi would be a disgrace. It makes me sick, and if there is a compassionate release then I think that is vile." But Pamela Dix, from UK Families Flight 103, said there had been a "lack of justice" for the victims, which included her brother Peter. She told BBC Two's Newsnight she was "baffled" by much of the evidence in the trial that led to Megrahi's conviction in 2001. 'Just a tool' And Martin Cadman, who lost his son in the bombing, said he believed Mergrahi was an innocent man who had acted with others. He said: "As far as I know the Scottish authorities and no-one else has done anything to try and find who these others were that were supposed to be implicated, so the whole thing is really very unsatisfactory". Bob Monetti, a past president of the organisation Victims of Flight 103, lost his 20-year-old son Richard in the bombing. He told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "We understand that Megrahi was just a tool in this. He wasn't really the person that decided what to do. Glenn Campbell, BBC Scotland political correspondent I understand preparations for Mr Megrahi's release are being made in time for him to be home with his family in Libya by Ramadan, which starts next Friday. The Parole Board for Scotland has been asked to give its opinion on compassionate release. The Libyan authorities - who have held high level talks with the Scottish justice secretary in recent days - have also been advised to make plans to fly Mr Megrahi back to Tripoli. The Scottish Government is right to say "no decision has been taken" - but that should change in the next few days and the likelihood is Mr Megrahi will return to Libya by next weekend. Send us your comments "We would really rather see Gadaffi in jail. "But Megrahi was the one who was convicted and lost his appeal. So I am really happy to see him in jail and not happy to see him anywhere else." It is believed UK and Libyan officials have held talks this week over Megrahi's appeal against his conviction. The speed of his transfer is thought to be influenced by consensus among all parties that Megrahi be back on Libyan soil in time for Ramadan next week. News of his release came after Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill visited Megrahi in prison, amid speculation he might be moved to Libya. A prisoner transfer request was made by Libya to the UK government last May, less than a week after a treaty allowing prisoners to be transferred between the two countries was ratified. But a spokesman for Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said: "No decision has been taken, either on the application for compassionate release or the application under the prisoner transfer agreement and so it is entirely speculation." A Scottish Government spokesman added that a decision was expected from Mr MacAskill this month. Mr MacAskill said last week he would miss the 90-day deadline, which expired on 3 August, because he was waiting for more information. A prisoner transfer cannot take place if criminal proceedings are active, meaning Megrahi would have to drop his latest appeal against his conviction in order to be sent home. It is difficult to see why the Scottish Government seems to have weighted the balance of compassion in favour of the criminal and against the interests of the victims, their families and the general public Robert Brown Lib Dem justice spokesman Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesman Robert Brown said: "If this decision is confirmed then it is wrong in principle, wrong in practice and sets the wrong precedent. "This is a man who was convicted in a Scottish court under the eyes of the world of the worst atrocity in Scotland in modern times. "In a case like this it is difficult to see why the Scottish Government seems to have weighted the balance of compassion in favour of the criminal and against the interests of the victims, their families and the general public." Scottish Conservative justice spokesman John Lamont said it would be a "catastrophic decision" if Megrahi were to be released without compelling medical evidence that he was gravely ill. South of Scotland SNP MSP Christine Grahame, who has visited Megrahi in prison, said he was "very ill" and was not expected to live beyond the end of the year. 'Very ill' She stressed she had no inside information whether he was to be released. She said: "If it is the case, and it's still speculation, compassionate release is just not only for Mr Megrahi but the victims' families." Ms Grahame said she had not spoken to him in recent days but he was getting "very ill and pretty desperate". She also predicted that Megrahi's appeal would continue even if he was granted compassionate release. Medical evidence Megrahi was ordered to remain in prison for a minimum of 27 years, having been found guilty of the bombing - the UK's worst terrorist atrocity. Megrahi's legal team had also made a request for him to released from prison on compassionate grounds. An earlier request, made in October 2008, was rejected by Appeal Court judges after they heard medical evidence that with adequate palliative care, Megrahi could live for several years. The court heard that such requests are normally only granted where a prisoner has fewer than three months to live.quote> Clinton urges no Megrahi release Megrahi's second appeal against his conviction started this year US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has personally urged Scotland's justice secretary not to free the man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing. A spokesman said she "expressed strongly" the view to Kenny MacAskill that Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi should serve out his sentence in Scotland. Earlier it was confirmed the Libyan had applied to abandon his appeal against his conviction. Terminally-ill Megrahi is serving a life sentence at Greenock Prison. On Wednesday BBC News revealed that Kenny MacAskill was likely to announce next week that Megrahi, who is gravely ill with prostate cancer, would be released on compassionate grounds. US State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said there were "compelling reasons" why Megrahi should remain in jail. He said: "Our interest is justice, and our interest is the commitment that we made to the families that we would find the perpetrator of this terrorism act, bring him to justice, working with the United Kingdom and with Scotland. There are a number of vested interests who have been deeply opposed to this appeal continuing as they know it would go a considerable way towards exposing the truth behind Lockerbie Christine Grahame MSP "He was brought to trial. He had a fair trial. He was convicted. He's serving his time. And we think he should stay in jail." Mr MacAskill is also considering a request from the Libyan government for Megrahi to be returned to Libya under a prisoner transfer deal with Britain. Abandoning his appeal could pave the way for his return home because a transfer cannot take place if criminal proceedings are active. 'No pressure' The Scottish government said no decision had yet been taken on Megrahi's future and insisted no pressure had been put on him to abandon his appeal. But South of Scotland SNP MSP Christine Grahame, who has met Megrahi several times in prison, said she believed he had been put under pressure. Brian Taylor, BBC Scotland political editor The Scottish legal system might well welcome closure of this protracted, challenging case. The counter point of view, advanced by Nationalist MSP Christine Grahame among others, is that Scottish justice is better served by persisting in efforts to dig out the truth. Then there is the issue of compassion. Megrahi is said to be terminally ill with prostate cancer. Regardless of other issues, should the justice secretary pay heed to that? Either way, relatives of those who died are decidedly not content. There are those who believe that Megrahi is guilty and who say there should be no deal whatsoever: he should remain in jail in Scotland. Those who believe he is innocent - and consequently welcome his release - nevertheless are voicing distress that the emerging shape of events means that the search for further information will be stalled. 'An amazing coincidence' She said: "I know from the lengthy discussions I had with him that he was desperate to clear his name, so I believe that the decision is not entirely his own. "There are a number of vested interests who have been deeply opposed to this appeal continuing as they know it would go a considerable way towards exposing the truth behind Lockerbie. "Some serious scrutiny will be required to determine exactly why Mr Megrahi is now dropping his appeal and examination of what pressure he has come under." She renewed her calls for a full public inquiry into the bombing. She added: "In the next days, weeks and months new information will be placed in the public domain that will make it clear that Mr Megrahi had nothing to do with the bombing of Pan Am 103." Megrahi is the only person to be convicted over the 1988 bombing which claimed 270 lives. His lawyers said he had applied to the High Court in Edinburgh two days ago to abandon his appeal against conviction. A spokesman for the legal firm Taylor and Kelly said: "As the appeal hearing has commenced... leave of the court is required before the appeal can be formally abandoned." A court hearing to discuss the application will take place in Edinburgh next Tuesday. 'Cloak and dagger' Conservative justice spokesman Bill Aitken said clarity was needed from the Scottish Government. "Too much of this story has been characterised by secret briefings, hints of special deals and international cloak and dagger," he said. "The Lockerbie atrocity cannot descend into this kind of diplomacy by spin and stealth." He said there needed to be "compelling medical evidence of extreme ill health" before any release on compassionate grounds. Nothing that the Scottish Government has done or said suggests pressure on anybody to do anything First Minister Alex Salmond First Minister Alex Salmond said the Scottish Government denied any pressure had been placed on the Libyan to drop his second appeal. Speaking in Edinburgh before Megrahi's application to drop his appeal was announced, he said: "We have no interest in pressurising people to drop appeals, why on earth should we? "That's not our position - never has been." He added: "Nothing that the Scottish Government has done or said suggests pressure on anybody to do anything." He also said the issue would not be discussed at cabinet on Tuesday, saying it was a judicial matter, not a political one. "This is a matter the justice secretary must determine and he must do it purely on judicial grounds, which is what he's been doing," he said. Sentence appeal Megrahi was convicted of murder in January 2001 at a trial held under Scottish law in the Netherlands. A first appeal against that verdict was rejected the following year. His second appeal got under way this year but shortly afterwards applications were made for both his transfer to a Libyan jail and release on compassionate grounds. Separately, the Crown Office is appealing against the length of the sentence handed out to Megrahi. A Crown Office spokesman said that its appeal remained live. The spokesman would not be drawn on whether that appeal would be dropped alongside Megrahi's appeal against conviction. quote> Bomber 'treated like a celebrity' Megrahi has been diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer One of Scotland's leading defence lawyers has accused the Scottish Government of treating the Lockerbie bomber like a celebrity. Paul McBride QC called on the justice secretary to make an urgent statement to Parliament about whether Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi is about to be released. Kenny MacAskill is expected to announce this week that the cancer patient will be freed on compassionate grounds. The Scottish Government said Mr McBride was politicking over a serious issue. The QC, who advises the Conservative party on law and order, said: "Megrahi is being treated well by the Scottish Government, he is being feted as almost a celebrity. "The way the Scottish Justice Secretary has conducted his business has been ham-fisted. "We have what appears to be a shoddy, underhand, unexplained, secretive deal. "When are we going to hear from the Scottish Government about what its position actually is." Megrahi is the only person to be convicted over the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, which claimed 270 lives. Paul McBride QC said Megrahi would be given a hero's welcome in Libya Mr McBride described the manner in which the Libyan's possible release was being discussed as "beyond shameful" and said Mr MacAskill should have recalled Parliament to discuss the matter. The 57-year-old was being given extraordinary, special treatment with decisions about his fate being made in secrecy, he said. He told BBC Scotland he was angry that Mr MacAskill visited Megrahi in jail and said other prisoners do not get that right. Mr McBride said he was in danger of turning Scotland into "an international laughing stock", and called for Westminster to become involved in the discussions. A spokesperson for Mr MacAskill said: "Mr McBride speaks as a Conservative party advocate, he made this same attack 10 days ago, and such politicking has no place in what is a highly serious and important issue. "Mr McBride should be aware that a Conservative spokesperson at Westminster, Daniel Kawczynski MP, has actually written to the justice secretary saying that Mr Megrahi should be used as a foreign policy "bargaining chip", which is as extraordinary as it is inappropriate in relation to deciding on the applications for compassionate release and prisoner transfer. "The justice secretary is yet to decide on these applications, and he will do so on a proper judicial basis, and the Conservative party should approach the issue in the same responsible manner." Lockerbie will be one of those mysteries like the assassination of President Kennedy that will remain unsolved for a long time - possibly forever Tam Dalyell Former Labour MP However, the Liberal Democrat justice spokesman Robert Brown MSP also criticised the minister's handling of the issue. "I took considerable objection to him visiting Megrahi in Greenock Prison," he said. "I thought that was entirely inappropriate - he's got a semi-judicial role in all of this. "I fail to see what kind of information he might've been able to get from such a meeting; he's not a doctor, he can't opine on the medical position. "What on earth was the purpose other than to feed the sort of media frenzy there's been about this matter." Meanwhile, reacting to the news that the Libyan had applied to abandon his appeal against his conviction, the former Labour MP Tam Dalyell, who has long argued Megrahi's innocence, said: "The last time I saw him was in Greenock Prison. "He said rather movingly to me that he was desperate to go back to Tripoli to see his family grow up. "But he wanted to go back as an innocent man. "If he abandons his appeal, it means that Lockerbie will be one of those mysteries like the assassination of President Kennedy that will remain unsolved for a long time - possibly forever." Megrahi was convicted of murder in 2001 at a trial held under Scottish law in the Netherlands. A first appeal against that verdict was rejected the following year. His second appeal got under way this year but shortly afterwards applications were made for both his transfer to a Libyan jail and release on compassionate grounds.quote>

It's a vicious circle. Previous fires stripped the surrounding countryside of tree cover, the tree cover cooled the air over Athens. Less trees has led to higher temperatures and increased pollution and depleted air quality. Massive levels of reforestation is required, but that will take years to have any effect.

Or maybe his cancer treatment got too expensive, and the prisons are exercising rationing of care? LOLquote> That's the funny thing, he is being sent home for compassionate reasons, yet Libyan cancer care is utterly horrendous and lacks any of the advances the UK has. The 'compassionate' release will likely end in him dying sooner than he would have at a Scottish cancer centre. I find that rather funny.

Originally posted by: Barbarossa Originally posted by: belfastuniguy Originally posted by: saltandsauce Savile Row? the big posh tailoring street in London, ah yes, i know they are the fastest growing industry since 1867 and are desperate for lots of employees quote> Yes the posh tailoring place and actually firm I work for has been around since 1771 So, belfastuniguy, where is the free offer to tailor Simtrop members' clothes? I have some pants that need to be hemmed/cuffed and the waist let out a little bit... /emoticons/4.gif" border="0' alt='4.gif" border="0'> Barbarossa quote> I'd just be measuring, we have someone to do the actual tailoring work Though I can give you a fabulous discount on a lovely Bespoke suit

Originally posted by: Barbarossa Originally posted by: belfastuniguy Originally posted by: saltandsauce Savile Row? the big posh tailoring street in London, ah yes, i know they are the fastest growing industry since 1867 and are desperate for lots of employees quote> Yes the posh tailoring place and actually firm I work for has been around since 1771 So, belfastuniguy, where is the free offer to tailor Simtrop members' clothes? I have some pants that need to be hemmed/cuffed and the waist let out a little bit... /emoticons/4.gif" border="0' alt='4.gif" border="0'> Barbarossa quote> I'd just be measuring, we have someone to do the actual tailoring work Though I can give you a fabulous discount on a lovely Bespoke suit

Originally posted by: Barbarossa Originally posted by: belfastuniguy Originally posted by: saltandsauce Savile Row? the big posh tailoring street in London, ah yes, i know they are the fastest growing industry since 1867 and are desperate for lots of employees quote> Yes the posh tailoring place and actually firm I work for has been around since 1771 So, belfastuniguy, where is the free offer to tailor Simtrop members' clothes? I have some pants that need to be hemmed/cuffed and the waist let out a little bit... /emoticons/4.gif" border="0' alt='4.gif" border="0'> Barbarossa quote> I'd just be measuring, we have someone to do the actual tailoring work Though I can give you a fabulous discount on a lovely Bespoke suit

So knew this would happen....totally scandalous. Libya warned over Lockerbie man Hundreds of Libyans celebrated Megrahi's return at the airport The US and UK have warned Libya over the welcome given to the Lockerbie bomber after his release from prison on compassionate grounds. Both states said they were concerned at the sight of Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi being greeted by a jubilant crowd at Tripoli airport. They said they had warned Libya about the sensitivity of the issue. Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has yet to comment on Megrahi, who has not been seen in public since returning. Miliband attacks Megrahi welcome US powerless as bomber freed Bomber release: What now? He is believed to have been resting at his family home after his journey from Scotland. Families of American victims of the bombing in 1988, when Pan Am Flight 103 was blown up over the Scottish town of Lockerbie with the loss of 270 lives, are due to discuss how to protest over Megrahi's release and Libya's attitude. They are said to be considering a demonstration against Col Gaddafi when he visits New York next month. A British royal visit to Libya, also scheduled for September, is being reconsidered in the light of the release row. 'Political hostage' "It is disturbing to see images suggesting that Megrahi was accorded a hero's welcome instead of being treated as a convicted murderer," said White House spokesman Bill Burton. In pictures: Bomber's release 'A convenient scapegoat?' He said that the US had communicated to the Libyan government that "such a welcome sends the wrong message and is deeply offensive to the families of the hundreds of people who lost their lives in the Lockerbie bombing". It has emerged that UK Chancellor Gordon Brown wrote to Col Gaddafi on Thursday, asking for Libya to "act with sensitivity" in handling Megrahi's return. He also made clear that the decision to release the terminally ill bomber on compassionate grounds was the Scottish government's, a Downing Street spokeswoman said. Speaking to the BBC, UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband said: "Obviously the sight of a mass murderer getting a hero's welcome in Tripoli is deeply upsetting, deeply distressing." Libya's response would be closely scrutinised, he added. "It's very important that Libya knows that how the Libyan government handles itself in the next few days will be very significant in the way the world views Libya's re-entry into the civilised community of nations," Mr Miliband said. Despite the scenes at the airport, Friday saw no sign of triumphalism from Libyan ministers, the BBC's Christian Fraser reports from Tripoli. Most of Libya's newspapers are not published on Friday. However, the state-owned Al-Jamahiriyah offered an editorial condemning the conduct of Megrahi's trial and describing him as a "political hostage". 'He's a bit tired' Megrahi's daughter Ghada told the BBC on Friday that her father was resting at home. "He's at home with us, he's a bit tired and worn out because it was a slightly long trip for him," she told BBC World Service. "He was overjoyed with seeing us all again." Megrahi's elderly mother, his daughter added, was "very excited and happy to see him again". Hundreds of people turned out to meet Megrahi's plane as it landed in Tripoli, many waving flags. Megrahi was met by Col Gaddafi's son, Seif al-Islam Gaddafi, who thanked both the Scottish and British governments for their "brave stance" although the British Government has insisted the decision to release Megrahi was a purely Scottish affair. The younger Gaddafi added that there was a "considerable amount of new evidence" to show Megrahi was innocent.quote> Royal visit to Libya reconsidered A crowd gathered to welcome Megrahi home to Libya A royal visit to Libya is being reconsidered after the welcome given to the Lockerbie bomber on his return to the country, the BBC understands. The Foreign Office is reviewing plans for Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, to meet senior figures and promote trade. The visit - planned for early September - now seems unlikely to go ahead. It also emerged that the prime minister had written to Colonel Gaddafi asking that Libya "act with sensitivity" when Megrahi returned home. Downing Street said Gordon Brown had sent the letter on Thursday, ahead of the bomber's release from prison. Foreign Secretary David Miliband has described the celebratory welcome in Libya for Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi as "deeply distressing". BBC Diplomatic Correspondent James Robbins said he understood the royal visit - which had not yet been made public - was now unlikely to proceed. "It would be the Duke of York's third visit to Libya," he said. "Last year he met Colonel Gaddafi and previously he has met a series of senior Libyan ministers in his role as Britain's special representative for trade and investment. Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond said that the decision had been made "for the right reasons" "Britain has secured huge contracts with Libya, particularly in the energy sector, in recent years as the country has returned from deep international isolation." The Duke's spokesman said a trip to Libya in early September had been "in its planning stages". He added: "We will continue to take advice from the Foreign Office as we do with all overseas royal visits." The foreign secretary has said he deplored the welcome Megrahi received in Tripoli on Thursday. But Mr Miliband refused to comment on whether he believed the Scottish Government was right to free him. Crowds in Tripoli, some waving Saltires, greeted Megrahi after he was freed on compassionate grounds. Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said the reception was "inappropriate". The welcome Megrahi received on his return to Libya also prompted an angry reaction from families of those killed in the 1988 bombing, which brought down Pan Am flight 103 over the town of Lockerbie, in southern Scotland. 'Deeply distressing' US President Barack Obama described the Scottish Government's decision to free Megrahi as a "mistake" and said his administration had told the Libyan government that Megrahi, who has terminal cancer, should not receive a hero's welcome and should instead be placed under house arrest. Mr Miliband, the first UK minister to comment on Megrahi's release, said the scenes in Tripoli were deeply distressing. He added: "Obviously the sight of a mass murderer getting a hero's welcome in Tripoli is deeply upsetting, and deeply upsetting above all for the 270 families who grieve every day for the loss of their loved ones 21 years ago, but also for anyone who's got an ounce of humanity in them and I think that is the overriding emotion that people will be feeling today. Saltires were waved by some of those waiting at the airport "I think it is very important that Libya knows, and certainly we have told them, that how the Libyan government handles itself in the next few days after the arrival of Mr Megrahi will be very significant in the way the world views Libya's re-entry into the civilised community of nations." He said there had been no pressure from Westminster on the Scottish Government to release Megrahi. Mr Salmond said the welcome received by Megrahi was "unwise". He said: "I don't think the reception for Mr al-Megrahi was appropriate in Libya. I don't think that was wise and I don't think that was the right thing to do." He said he supported Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill's decision to release Megrahi on compassionate grounds, and denied it had damaged Scotland's relationship with the United States. He said: "The international politics of the situation are not, correctly in my view, a matter for the justice secretary. "We're not responsible for the actions of others and I don't agree that we've damaged Scotland's reputation." The Scottish Parliament is to be recalled on Monday to discuss the controversial decision to release Megrahi. Alex Salmond's government has made a mistake of international proportions David Mundell Conservative MP Russell Brown, Labour MP for Dumfries, said seeing the Saltire at Tripoli airport was "stomach churning" and condemned the Scottish Government for failing to seek adequate assurances that the Lockerbie bomber would not be hailed a hero on his return to Libya. He said: "I have never been ashamed to see my country's flag waved before, but to see it misused to celebrate mass murder is outrageous. "This man is convicted of murdering 270 people in my part of Scotland and that conviction stands. "This adds further pressure to the SNP to explain why they have freed a man who showed no remorse for the crimes he has committed." David Mundell, Conservative MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale, said the scenes from Tripoli were "sickening". He said: "This is as we feared and why we said that Mr Megrahi should be kept in Scotland. FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme "Alex Salmond's government has made a mistake of international proportions." Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill announced the release order on Thursday afternoon, saying Megrahi probably had about three months to live. The fact that Megrahi's victims were shown no compassion was "not a reason for us to deny compassion to him and his family in his final days", he said. Tony Kelly, a solicitor acting on behalf of Megrahi, said his client was still interested in clearing his name in the "court of public opinion." He said: "In the statement I issued on his behalf yesterday he talked about the appalling choice he had to make. "He had to say whether he was going to stay here and die in prison with a view to trying to clear his name posthumously, or to abandon the appeal with a view to get himself home so he could go back to the bosom of his family." quote> Anger at Lockerbie bomber welcome Megrahi was welcomed by well-wishers on his arrival in Tripoli Britain and the US have strongly condemned the jubilant welcome given in Libya to the man convicted of the bombing of a US plane over Lockerbie. British Foreign Secretary David Miliband described the scenes as "deeply distressing". Crowds greeted Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi off the plane in Tripoli after he was freed from a Scottish prison on compassionate grounds. Many relatives of the victims of the 1988 bombing are angry at his release. Most of the 270 people who died when Pan Am Flight 103 blew up over the Scottish town of Lockerbie were Americans. Miliband attacks Megrahi welcome US powerless as bomber freed Bomber release: What now? US President Barack Obama said Megrahi's release, eight years into his life sentence, was "a mistake". He said his administration had told the Libyan government that Megrahi, who has terminal cancer, should not receive a hero's welcome and should be placed under house arrest. Megrahi was convicted of murder in January 2001 at a trial held under Scottish law in the Netherlands but has always denied being behind the bombing. Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill announced the release order on Thursday morning, saying the prisoner probably had about three months to live. 'Deeply upsetting' Mr Miliband said images of Megrahi being welcomed in the Libyan capital were very disturbing for the families of those who died in the bombing. Christian Fraser BBC News correspondent, in Libya Despite the jubilant scenes in the capital, we haven't had any sense of triumphalism from government ministers. And we've still not had a statement from Colonel Gaddafi himself. I think the last thing the Libyans want in the run up to the 40th anniversary of the revolution, on 1 September, is this international condemnation. There's no further news of al-Megrahi himself. It's a very quiet day in Tripoli - the first day of Ramadan. The streets are deserted, there's not much news in the media. We are told he might be taken south to a town in the desert to meet Col Gaddafi - presumably to thank him for all the lobbying he has done on his behalf. And we now have it on a second source that he is actually a distant relative of Col Gaddafi, which might explain why the colonel has taken such a personal interest. "Obviously the sight of a mass murderer getting a hero's welcome in Tripoli is deeply upsetting, deeply distressing," he told the BBC. The fact Megrahi's victims had been shown no compassion was "not a reason for us to deny compassion to him and his family in his final days", he said. Mr Miliband said the decision to release Megrahi had been a choice for the Scottish justice secretary alone. Libya's response would be closely scrutinised, he added. "It's very important that Libya knows that how the Libyan government handles itself in the next few days will be very significant in the way the world views Libya's re-entry into the civilised community of nations," Mr Miliband said. In a country where movement is carefully restricted, the fact that Libya allowed supporters on to the runway to greet Megrahi in Tripoli clearly signals the Libyans were determined to salute his freedom, the BBC's Christian Fraser reports from Tripoli. But Friday saw no sign of that triumphalism from government ministers and Col Gadaffi has still to give his reaction to the release, he says. However Megrahi is treated in Libya in the short time he is believed to have left to live, he will go to the grave a convicted murderer, our correspondent adds. Some major British oil and gas companies, bidding for highly competitive contracts with the country, could benefit from improved relations between Libya and the UK following Megrahi's release, our correspondent says. However, the British Foreign Office said on Friday it was reviewing whether a royal visit by the Duke of York to Libya, scheduled for September, should now go ahead. This would be Prince Andrew's third trip to Libya in his role as Britain's special representative for trade and investment. 'Brave decision' Hundreds of people turned out to meet Megrahi's plane as it landed in Tripoli, many waving flags. Have Your Say I am ashamed to be Scottish. Where is the justice for the victims? Ross MacDonald, Edinburgh Send us your comment Megrahi, who had changed from the tracksuit he wore to leave Greenock prison in Scotland into a dark suit, was met by Col Gaddafi's son on arrival. Seif al-Islam Gaddafi thanked both the Scottish and British governments for their "brave stance" although the British Government has insisted the decision to release Megrahi was a purely Scottish affair. "I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Scottish government for taking this brave decision and for taking into account the special humanitarian circumstances," the younger Gaddafi said in a statement. "I would also like to thank our friends in the British government who played an important part in bringing about this happy ending, and I will say that the Libyan people will not forget this brave stance taken by the British and Scottish governments..." There was a "considerable amount of new evidence" to show Megrahi was innocent, he added, without giving details. In pictures: Bomber's release 'A convenient scapegoat?' US and UK readers' reaction Megrahi was taken to his family home where his wife, Aisha, said she was "overjoyed". "It is a great moment, which we have been waiting for for nine years," she said. "The house is full to bursting, everyone who loves Abdelbaset is with us." Bereaved families voiced growing anger and outrage at the decision to release Megrahi. Stephanie Bernstein, whose husband was killed in the bombing, accused Mr MacAskill of being naive. "This shows not compassion, it shows weakness," she told the BBC. In contrast, British relatives' spokesman Dr Jim Swire, who lost his daughter Flora in the atrocity, reiterated his view that Megrahi had "nothing to do with" the bombing. "I don't believe for a moment that this man was involved in the way that he was found to have been involved," he said. quote>

So knew this would happen....totally scandalous. Libya warned over Lockerbie man Hundreds of Libyans celebrated Megrahi's return at the airport The US and UK have warned Libya over the welcome given to the Lockerbie bomber after his release from prison on compassionate grounds. Both states said they were concerned at the sight of Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi being greeted by a jubilant crowd at Tripoli airport. They said they had warned Libya about the sensitivity of the issue. Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has yet to comment on Megrahi, who has not been seen in public since returning. Miliband attacks Megrahi welcome US powerless as bomber freed Bomber release: What now? He is believed to have been resting at his family home after his journey from Scotland. Families of American victims of the bombing in 1988, when Pan Am Flight 103 was blown up over the Scottish town of Lockerbie with the loss of 270 lives, are due to discuss how to protest over Megrahi's release and Libya's attitude. They are said to be considering a demonstration against Col Gaddafi when he visits New York next month. A British royal visit to Libya, also scheduled for September, is being reconsidered in the light of the release row. 'Political hostage' "It is disturbing to see images suggesting that Megrahi was accorded a hero's welcome instead of being treated as a convicted murderer," said White House spokesman Bill Burton. In pictures: Bomber's release 'A convenient scapegoat?' He said that the US had communicated to the Libyan government that "such a welcome sends the wrong message and is deeply offensive to the families of the hundreds of people who lost their lives in the Lockerbie bombing". It has emerged that UK Chancellor Gordon Brown wrote to Col Gaddafi on Thursday, asking for Libya to "act with sensitivity" in handling Megrahi's return. He also made clear that the decision to release the terminally ill bomber on compassionate grounds was the Scottish government's, a Downing Street spokeswoman said. Speaking to the BBC, UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband said: "Obviously the sight of a mass murderer getting a hero's welcome in Tripoli is deeply upsetting, deeply distressing." Libya's response would be closely scrutinised, he added. "It's very important that Libya knows that how the Libyan government handles itself in the next few days will be very significant in the way the world views Libya's re-entry into the civilised community of nations," Mr Miliband said. Despite the scenes at the airport, Friday saw no sign of triumphalism from Libyan ministers, the BBC's Christian Fraser reports from Tripoli. Most of Libya's newspapers are not published on Friday. However, the state-owned Al-Jamahiriyah offered an editorial condemning the conduct of Megrahi's trial and describing him as a "political hostage". 'He's a bit tired' Megrahi's daughter Ghada told the BBC on Friday that her father was resting at home. "He's at home with us, he's a bit tired and worn out because it was a slightly long trip for him," she told BBC World Service. "He was overjoyed with seeing us all again." Megrahi's elderly mother, his daughter added, was "very excited and happy to see him again". Hundreds of people turned out to meet Megrahi's plane as it landed in Tripoli, many waving flags. Megrahi was met by Col Gaddafi's son, Seif al-Islam Gaddafi, who thanked both the Scottish and British governments for their "brave stance" although the British Government has insisted the decision to release Megrahi was a purely Scottish affair. The younger Gaddafi added that there was a "considerable amount of new evidence" to show Megrahi was innocent.quote> Royal visit to Libya reconsidered A crowd gathered to welcome Megrahi home to Libya A royal visit to Libya is being reconsidered after the welcome given to the Lockerbie bomber on his return to the country, the BBC understands. The Foreign Office is reviewing plans for Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, to meet senior figures and promote trade. The visit - planned for early September - now seems unlikely to go ahead. It also emerged that the prime minister had written to Colonel Gaddafi asking that Libya "act with sensitivity" when Megrahi returned home. Downing Street said Gordon Brown had sent the letter on Thursday, ahead of the bomber's release from prison. Foreign Secretary David Miliband has described the celebratory welcome in Libya for Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi as "deeply distressing". BBC Diplomatic Correspondent James Robbins said he understood the royal visit - which had not yet been made public - was now unlikely to proceed. "It would be the Duke of York's third visit to Libya," he said. "Last year he met Colonel Gaddafi and previously he has met a series of senior Libyan ministers in his role as Britain's special representative for trade and investment. Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond said that the decision had been made "for the right reasons" "Britain has secured huge contracts with Libya, particularly in the energy sector, in recent years as the country has returned from deep international isolation." The Duke's spokesman said a trip to Libya in early September had been "in its planning stages". He added: "We will continue to take advice from the Foreign Office as we do with all overseas royal visits." The foreign secretary has said he deplored the welcome Megrahi received in Tripoli on Thursday. But Mr Miliband refused to comment on whether he believed the Scottish Government was right to free him. Crowds in Tripoli, some waving Saltires, greeted Megrahi after he was freed on compassionate grounds. Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said the reception was "inappropriate". The welcome Megrahi received on his return to Libya also prompted an angry reaction from families of those killed in the 1988 bombing, which brought down Pan Am flight 103 over the town of Lockerbie, in southern Scotland. 'Deeply distressing' US President Barack Obama described the Scottish Government's decision to free Megrahi as a "mistake" and said his administration had told the Libyan government that Megrahi, who has terminal cancer, should not receive a hero's welcome and should instead be placed under house arrest. Mr Miliband, the first UK minister to comment on Megrahi's release, said the scenes in Tripoli were deeply distressing. He added: "Obviously the sight of a mass murderer getting a hero's welcome in Tripoli is deeply upsetting, and deeply upsetting above all for the 270 families who grieve every day for the loss of their loved ones 21 years ago, but also for anyone who's got an ounce of humanity in them and I think that is the overriding emotion that people will be feeling today. Saltires were waved by some of those waiting at the airport "I think it is very important that Libya knows, and certainly we have told them, that how the Libyan government handles itself in the next few days after the arrival of Mr Megrahi will be very significant in the way the world views Libya's re-entry into the civilised community of nations." He said there had been no pressure from Westminster on the Scottish Government to release Megrahi. Mr Salmond said the welcome received by Megrahi was "unwise". He said: "I don't think the reception for Mr al-Megrahi was appropriate in Libya. I don't think that was wise and I don't think that was the right thing to do." He said he supported Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill's decision to release Megrahi on compassionate grounds, and denied it had damaged Scotland's relationship with the United States. He said: "The international politics of the situation are not, correctly in my view, a matter for the justice secretary. "We're not responsible for the actions of others and I don't agree that we've damaged Scotland's reputation." The Scottish Parliament is to be recalled on Monday to discuss the controversial decision to release Megrahi. Alex Salmond's government has made a mistake of international proportions David Mundell Conservative MP Russell Brown, Labour MP for Dumfries, said seeing the Saltire at Tripoli airport was "stomach churning" and condemned the Scottish Government for failing to seek adequate assurances that the Lockerbie bomber would not be hailed a hero on his return to Libya. He said: "I have never been ashamed to see my country's flag waved before, but to see it misused to celebrate mass murder is outrageous. "This man is convicted of murdering 270 people in my part of Scotland and that conviction stands. "This adds further pressure to the SNP to explain why they have freed a man who showed no remorse for the crimes he has committed." David Mundell, Conservative MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale, said the scenes from Tripoli were "sickening". He said: "This is as we feared and why we said that Mr Megrahi should be kept in Scotland. FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme "Alex Salmond's government has made a mistake of international proportions." Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill announced the release order on Thursday afternoon, saying Megrahi probably had about three months to live. The fact that Megrahi's victims were shown no compassion was "not a reason for us to deny compassion to him and his family in his final days", he said. Tony Kelly, a solicitor acting on behalf of Megrahi, said his client was still interested in clearing his name in the "court of public opinion." He said: "In the statement I issued on his behalf yesterday he talked about the appalling choice he had to make. "He had to say whether he was going to stay here and die in prison with a view to trying to clear his name posthumously, or to abandon the appeal with a view to get himself home so he could go back to the bosom of his family." quote> Anger at Lockerbie bomber welcome Megrahi was welcomed by well-wishers on his arrival in Tripoli Britain and the US have strongly condemned the jubilant welcome given in Libya to the man convicted of the bombing of a US plane over Lockerbie. British Foreign Secretary David Miliband described the scenes as "deeply distressing". Crowds greeted Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi off the plane in Tripoli after he was freed from a Scottish prison on compassionate grounds. Many relatives of the victims of the 1988 bombing are angry at his release. Most of the 270 people who died when Pan Am Flight 103 blew up over the Scottish town of Lockerbie were Americans. Miliband attacks Megrahi welcome US powerless as bomber freed Bomber release: What now? US President Barack Obama said Megrahi's release, eight years into his life sentence, was "a mistake". He said his administration had told the Libyan government that Megrahi, who has terminal cancer, should not receive a hero's welcome and should be placed under house arrest. Megrahi was convicted of murder in January 2001 at a trial held under Scottish law in the Netherlands but has always denied being behind the bombing. Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill announced the release order on Thursday morning, saying the prisoner probably had about three months to live. 'Deeply upsetting' Mr Miliband said images of Megrahi being welcomed in the Libyan capital were very disturbing for the families of those who died in the bombing. Christian Fraser BBC News correspondent, in Libya Despite the jubilant scenes in the capital, we haven't had any sense of triumphalism from government ministers. And we've still not had a statement from Colonel Gaddafi himself. I think the last thing the Libyans want in the run up to the 40th anniversary of the revolution, on 1 September, is this international condemnation. There's no further news of al-Megrahi himself. It's a very quiet day in Tripoli - the first day of Ramadan. The streets are deserted, there's not much news in the media. We are told he might be taken south to a town in the desert to meet Col Gaddafi - presumably to thank him for all the lobbying he has done on his behalf. And we now have it on a second source that he is actually a distant relative of Col Gaddafi, which might explain why the colonel has taken such a personal interest. "Obviously the sight of a mass murderer getting a hero's welcome in Tripoli is deeply upsetting, deeply distressing," he told the BBC. The fact Megrahi's victims had been shown no compassion was "not a reason for us to deny compassion to him and his family in his final days", he said. Mr Miliband said the decision to release Megrahi had been a choice for the Scottish justice secretary alone. Libya's response would be closely scrutinised, he added. "It's very important that Libya knows that how the Libyan government handles itself in the next few days will be very significant in the way the world views Libya's re-entry into the civilised community of nations," Mr Miliband said. In a country where movement is carefully restricted, the fact that Libya allowed supporters on to the runway to greet Megrahi in Tripoli clearly signals the Libyans were determined to salute his freedom, the BBC's Christian Fraser reports from Tripoli. But Friday saw no sign of that triumphalism from government ministers and Col Gadaffi has still to give his reaction to the release, he says. However Megrahi is treated in Libya in the short time he is believed to have left to live, he will go to the grave a convicted murderer, our correspondent adds. Some major British oil and gas companies, bidding for highly competitive contracts with the country, could benefit from improved relations between Libya and the UK following Megrahi's release, our correspondent says. However, the British Foreign Office said on Friday it was reviewing whether a royal visit by the Duke of York to Libya, scheduled for September, should now go ahead. This would be Prince Andrew's third trip to Libya in his role as Britain's special representative for trade and investment. 'Brave decision' Hundreds of people turned out to meet Megrahi's plane as it landed in Tripoli, many waving flags. Have Your Say I am ashamed to be Scottish. Where is the justice for the victims? Ross MacDonald, Edinburgh Send us your comment Megrahi, who had changed from the tracksuit he wore to leave Greenock prison in Scotland into a dark suit, was met by Col Gaddafi's son on arrival. Seif al-Islam Gaddafi thanked both the Scottish and British governments for their "brave stance" although the British Government has insisted the decision to release Megrahi was a purely Scottish affair. "I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Scottish government for taking this brave decision and for taking into account the special humanitarian circumstances," the younger Gaddafi said in a statement. "I would also like to thank our friends in the British government who played an important part in bringing about this happy ending, and I will say that the Libyan people will not forget this brave stance taken by the British and Scottish governments..." There was a "considerable amount of new evidence" to show Megrahi was innocent, he added, without giving details. In pictures: Bomber's release 'A convenient scapegoat?' US and UK readers' reaction Megrahi was taken to his family home where his wife, Aisha, said she was "overjoyed". "It is a great moment, which we have been waiting for for nine years," she said. "The house is full to bursting, everyone who loves Abdelbaset is with us." Bereaved families voiced growing anger and outrage at the decision to release Megrahi. Stephanie Bernstein, whose husband was killed in the bombing, accused Mr MacAskill of being naive. "This shows not compassion, it shows weakness," she told the BBC. In contrast, British relatives' spokesman Dr Jim Swire, who lost his daughter Flora in the atrocity, reiterated his view that Megrahi had "nothing to do with" the bombing. "I don't believe for a moment that this man was involved in the way that he was found to have been involved," he said. quote>

So knew this would happen....totally scandalous. Libya warned over Lockerbie man Hundreds of Libyans celebrated Megrahi's return at the airport The US and UK have warned Libya over the welcome given to the Lockerbie bomber after his release from prison on compassionate grounds. Both states said they were concerned at the sight of Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi being greeted by a jubilant crowd at Tripoli airport. They said they had warned Libya about the sensitivity of the issue. Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has yet to comment on Megrahi, who has not been seen in public since returning. Miliband attacks Megrahi welcome US powerless as bomber freed Bomber release: What now? He is believed to have been resting at his family home after his journey from Scotland. Families of American victims of the bombing in 1988, when Pan Am Flight 103 was blown up over the Scottish town of Lockerbie with the loss of 270 lives, are due to discuss how to protest over Megrahi's release and Libya's attitude. They are said to be considering a demonstration against Col Gaddafi when he visits New York next month. A British royal visit to Libya, also scheduled for September, is being reconsidered in the light of the release row. 'Political hostage' "It is disturbing to see images suggesting that Megrahi was accorded a hero's welcome instead of being treated as a convicted murderer," said White House spokesman Bill Burton. In pictures: Bomber's release 'A convenient scapegoat?' He said that the US had communicated to the Libyan government that "such a welcome sends the wrong message and is deeply offensive to the families of the hundreds of people who lost their lives in the Lockerbie bombing". It has emerged that UK Chancellor Gordon Brown wrote to Col Gaddafi on Thursday, asking for Libya to "act with sensitivity" in handling Megrahi's return. He also made clear that the decision to release the terminally ill bomber on compassionate grounds was the Scottish government's, a Downing Street spokeswoman said. Speaking to the BBC, UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband said: "Obviously the sight of a mass murderer getting a hero's welcome in Tripoli is deeply upsetting, deeply distressing." Libya's response would be closely scrutinised, he added. "It's very important that Libya knows that how the Libyan government handles itself in the next few days will be very significant in the way the world views Libya's re-entry into the civilised community of nations," Mr Miliband said. Despite the scenes at the airport, Friday saw no sign of triumphalism from Libyan ministers, the BBC's Christian Fraser reports from Tripoli. Most of Libya's newspapers are not published on Friday. However, the state-owned Al-Jamahiriyah offered an editorial condemning the conduct of Megrahi's trial and describing him as a "political hostage". 'He's a bit tired' Megrahi's daughter Ghada told the BBC on Friday that her father was resting at home. "He's at home with us, he's a bit tired and worn out because it was a slightly long trip for him," she told BBC World Service. "He was overjoyed with seeing us all again." Megrahi's elderly mother, his daughter added, was "very excited and happy to see him again". Hundreds of people turned out to meet Megrahi's plane as it landed in Tripoli, many waving flags. Megrahi was met by Col Gaddafi's son, Seif al-Islam Gaddafi, who thanked both the Scottish and British governments for their "brave stance" although the British Government has insisted the decision to release Megrahi was a purely Scottish affair. The younger Gaddafi added that there was a "considerable amount of new evidence" to show Megrahi was innocent.quote> Royal visit to Libya reconsidered A crowd gathered to welcome Megrahi home to Libya A royal visit to Libya is being reconsidered after the welcome given to the Lockerbie bomber on his return to the country, the BBC understands. The Foreign Office is reviewing plans for Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, to meet senior figures and promote trade. The visit - planned for early September - now seems unlikely to go ahead. It also emerged that the prime minister had written to Colonel Gaddafi asking that Libya "act with sensitivity" when Megrahi returned home. Downing Street said Gordon Brown had sent the letter on Thursday, ahead of the bomber's release from prison. Foreign Secretary David Miliband has described the celebratory welcome in Libya for Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi as "deeply distressing". BBC Diplomatic Correspondent James Robbins said he understood the royal visit - which had not yet been made public - was now unlikely to proceed. "It would be the Duke of York's third visit to Libya," he said. "Last year he met Colonel Gaddafi and previously he has met a series of senior Libyan ministers in his role as Britain's special representative for trade and investment. Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond said that the decision had been made "for the right reasons" "Britain has secured huge contracts with Libya, particularly in the energy sector, in recent years as the country has returned from deep international isolation." The Duke's spokesman said a trip to Libya in early September had been "in its planning stages". He added: "We will continue to take advice from the Foreign Office as we do with all overseas royal visits." The foreign secretary has said he deplored the welcome Megrahi received in Tripoli on Thursday. But Mr Miliband refused to comment on whether he believed the Scottish Government was right to free him. Crowds in Tripoli, some waving Saltires, greeted Megrahi after he was freed on compassionate grounds. Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said the reception was "inappropriate". The welcome Megrahi received on his return to Libya also prompted an angry reaction from families of those killed in the 1988 bombing, which brought down Pan Am flight 103 over the town of Lockerbie, in southern Scotland. 'Deeply distressing' US President Barack Obama described the Scottish Government's decision to free Megrahi as a "mistake" and said his administration had told the Libyan government that Megrahi, who has terminal cancer, should not receive a hero's welcome and should instead be placed under house arrest. Mr Miliband, the first UK minister to comment on Megrahi's release, said the scenes in Tripoli were deeply distressing. He added: "Obviously the sight of a mass murderer getting a hero's welcome in Tripoli is deeply upsetting, and deeply upsetting above all for the 270 families who grieve every day for the loss of their loved ones 21 years ago, but also for anyone who's got an ounce of humanity in them and I think that is the overriding emotion that people will be feeling today. Saltires were waved by some of those waiting at the airport "I think it is very important that Libya knows, and certainly we have told them, that how the Libyan government handles itself in the next few days after the arrival of Mr Megrahi will be very significant in the way the world views Libya's re-entry into the civilised community of nations." He said there had been no pressure from Westminster on the Scottish Government to release Megrahi. Mr Salmond said the welcome received by Megrahi was "unwise". He said: "I don't think the reception for Mr al-Megrahi was appropriate in Libya. I don't think that was wise and I don't think that was the right thing to do." He said he supported Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill's decision to release Megrahi on compassionate grounds, and denied it had damaged Scotland's relationship with the United States. He said: "The international politics of the situation are not, correctly in my view, a matter for the justice secretary. "We're not responsible for the actions of others and I don't agree that we've damaged Scotland's reputation." The Scottish Parliament is to be recalled on Monday to discuss the controversial decision to release Megrahi. Alex Salmond's government has made a mistake of international proportions David Mundell Conservative MP Russell Brown, Labour MP for Dumfries, said seeing the Saltire at Tripoli airport was "stomach churning" and condemned the Scottish Government for failing to seek adequate assurances that the Lockerbie bomber would not be hailed a hero on his return to Libya. He said: "I have never been ashamed to see my country's flag waved before, but to see it misused to celebrate mass murder is outrageous. "This man is convicted of murdering 270 people in my part of Scotland and that conviction stands. "This adds further pressure to the SNP to explain why they have freed a man who showed no remorse for the crimes he has committed." David Mundell, Conservative MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale, said the scenes from Tripoli were "sickening". He said: "This is as we feared and why we said that Mr Megrahi should be kept in Scotland. FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme "Alex Salmond's government has made a mistake of international proportions." Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill announced the release order on Thursday afternoon, saying Megrahi probably had about three months to live. The fact that Megrahi's victims were shown no compassion was "not a reason for us to deny compassion to him and his family in his final days", he said. Tony Kelly, a solicitor acting on behalf of Megrahi, said his client was still interested in clearing his name in the "court of public opinion." He said: "In the statement I issued on his behalf yesterday he talked about the appalling choice he had to make. "He had to say whether he was going to stay here and die in prison with a view to trying to clear his name posthumously, or to abandon the appeal with a view to get himself home so he could go back to the bosom of his family." quote> Anger at Lockerbie bomber welcome Megrahi was welcomed by well-wishers on his arrival in Tripoli Britain and the US have strongly condemned the jubilant welcome given in Libya to the man convicted of the bombing of a US plane over Lockerbie. British Foreign Secretary David Miliband described the scenes as "deeply distressing". Crowds greeted Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi off the plane in Tripoli after he was freed from a Scottish prison on compassionate grounds. Many relatives of the victims of the 1988 bombing are angry at his release. Most of the 270 people who died when Pan Am Flight 103 blew up over the Scottish town of Lockerbie were Americans. Miliband attacks Megrahi welcome US powerless as bomber freed Bomber release: What now? US President Barack Obama said Megrahi's release, eight years into his life sentence, was "a mistake". He said his administration had told the Libyan government that Megrahi, who has terminal cancer, should not receive a hero's welcome and should be placed under house arrest. Megrahi was convicted of murder in January 2001 at a trial held under Scottish law in the Netherlands but has always denied being behind the bombing. Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill announced the release order on Thursday morning, saying the prisoner probably had about three months to live. 'Deeply upsetting' Mr Miliband said images of Megrahi being welcomed in the Libyan capital were very disturbing for the families of those who died in the bombing. Christian Fraser BBC News correspondent, in Libya Despite the jubilant scenes in the capital, we haven't had any sense of triumphalism from government ministers. And we've still not had a statement from Colonel Gaddafi himself. I think the last thing the Libyans want in the run up to the 40th anniversary of the revolution, on 1 September, is this international condemnation. There's no further news of al-Megrahi himself. It's a very quiet day in Tripoli - the first day of Ramadan. The streets are deserted, there's not much news in the media. We are told he might be taken south to a town in the desert to meet Col Gaddafi - presumably to thank him for all the lobbying he has done on his behalf. And we now have it on a second source that he is actually a distant relative of Col Gaddafi, which might explain why the colonel has taken such a personal interest. "Obviously the sight of a mass murderer getting a hero's welcome in Tripoli is deeply upsetting, deeply distressing," he told the BBC. The fact Megrahi's victims had been shown no compassion was "not a reason for us to deny compassion to him and his family in his final days", he said. Mr Miliband said the decision to release Megrahi had been a choice for the Scottish justice secretary alone. Libya's response would be closely scrutinised, he added. "It's very important that Libya knows that how the Libyan government handles itself in the next few days will be very significant in the way the world views Libya's re-entry into the civilised community of nations," Mr Miliband said. In a country where movement is carefully restricted, the fact that Libya allowed supporters on to the runway to greet Megrahi in Tripoli clearly signals the Libyans were determined to salute his freedom, the BBC's Christian Fraser reports from Tripoli. But Friday saw no sign of that triumphalism from government ministers and Col Gadaffi has still to give his reaction to the release, he says. However Megrahi is treated in Libya in the short time he is believed to have left to live, he will go to the grave a convicted murderer, our correspondent adds. Some major British oil and gas companies, bidding for highly competitive contracts with the country, could benefit from improved relations between Libya and the UK following Megrahi's release, our correspondent says. However, the British Foreign Office said on Friday it was reviewing whether a royal visit by the Duke of York to Libya, scheduled for September, should now go ahead. This would be Prince Andrew's third trip to Libya in his role as Britain's special representative for trade and investment. 'Brave decision' Hundreds of people turned out to meet Megrahi's plane as it landed in Tripoli, many waving flags. Have Your Say I am ashamed to be Scottish. Where is the justice for the victims? Ross MacDonald, Edinburgh Send us your comment Megrahi, who had changed from the tracksuit he wore to leave Greenock prison in Scotland into a dark suit, was met by Col Gaddafi's son on arrival. Seif al-Islam Gaddafi thanked both the Scottish and British governments for their "brave stance" although the British Government has insisted the decision to release Megrahi was a purely Scottish affair. "I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Scottish government for taking this brave decision and for taking into account the special humanitarian circumstances," the younger Gaddafi said in a statement. "I would also like to thank our friends in the British government who played an important part in bringing about this happy ending, and I will say that the Libyan people will not forget this brave stance taken by the British and Scottish governments..." There was a "considerable amount of new evidence" to show Megrahi was innocent, he added, without giving details. In pictures: Bomber's release 'A convenient scapegoat?' US and UK readers' reaction Megrahi was taken to his family home where his wife, Aisha, said she was "overjoyed". "It is a great moment, which we have been waiting for for nine years," she said. "The house is full to bursting, everyone who loves Abdelbaset is with us." Bereaved families voiced growing anger and outrage at the decision to release Megrahi. Stephanie Bernstein, whose husband was killed in the bombing, accused Mr MacAskill of being naive. "This shows not compassion, it shows weakness," she told the BBC. In contrast, British relatives' spokesman Dr Jim Swire, who lost his daughter Flora in the atrocity, reiterated his view that Megrahi had "nothing to do with" the bombing. "I don't believe for a moment that this man was involved in the way that he was found to have been involved," he said. quote>

Originally posted by: saltandsauce Savile Row? the big posh tailoring street in London, ah yes, i know they are the fastest growing industry since 1867 and are desperate for lots of employees quote> Yes the posh tailoring place and actually firm I work for has been around since 1771 Premium retail has held ground during the recession and has actually in some sectors experiences growth. I never stated the industry was looking for lots of new staff, with that business its more about quality of staff, not how many you have or need. I was speaking generally, there are a lot of unfilled job vacancies in the market at the minute. Problem is, people have got fat on benefits and don't believe they will be better off working for a living, Shame really, if they don't want them jobs, we'll have to keep giving them to the immigrants.

Originally posted by: saltandsauce Savile Row? the big posh tailoring street in London, ah yes, i know they are the fastest growing industry since 1867 and are desperate for lots of employees quote> Yes the posh tailoring place and actually firm I work for has been around since 1771 Premium retail has held ground during the recession and has actually in some sectors experiences growth. I never stated the industry was looking for lots of new staff, with that business its more about quality of staff, not how many you have or need. I was speaking generally, there are a lot of unfilled job vacancies in the market at the minute. Problem is, people have got fat on benefits and don't believe they will be better off working for a living, Shame really, if they don't want them jobs, we'll have to keep giving them to the immigrants.

Originally posted by: saltandsauce Savile Row? the big posh tailoring street in London, ah yes, i know they are the fastest growing industry since 1867 and are desperate for lots of employees quote> Yes the posh tailoring place and actually firm I work for has been around since 1771 Premium retail has held ground during the recession and has actually in some sectors experiences growth. I never stated the industry was looking for lots of new staff, with that business its more about quality of staff, not how many you have or need. I was speaking generally, there are a lot of unfilled job vacancies in the market at the minute. Problem is, people have got fat on benefits and don't believe they will be better off working for a living, Shame really, if they don't want them jobs, we'll have to keep giving them to the immigrants.

Originally posted by: Easy Bakes these ships dont have GPS systems? quote> Yes but they can be tampered with.

Lockerbie bomber returns to Libya Megrahi, seen in the white, boarded a flight at Glasgow 'A convenient scapegoat?' Bomber release: What now? Grounds for compassionate release The Lockerbie bomber has left Scotland on board a plane bound for Libya after being freed from prison on compassionate grounds. Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, 57, was jailed in 2001 for the atrocity which claimed 270 lives in 1988. The decision to release Megrahi, who has terminal prostate cancer, was made by the Scottish Government. The White House said it "deeply regretted" the decision and some of the US victims' families reacted angrily. A police convoy left Greenock Prison, where Megrahi was serving his sentence, more than an hour after the announcement of his release was made. He was taken to Glasgow Airport to board the flight to Tripoli, which took off shortly before 1530 BST. The government said it had consulted widely before Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill made his decision on applications for Megrahi's compassionate release or his transfer to a Libyan jail. He told a media conference on Thursday that he had rejected the application for a prisoner transfer. However, after taking medical advice it was expected that three months was a "reasonable estimate" of the time Megrahi had left to live. Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill announces the release of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi He ruled out the option of the Libyan being allowed to live in Scotland on security grounds. And he stressed that he accepted the conviction and sentence which had been handed to Megrahi. However, Mr Macaskill said Scots defined themselves by their humanity. "Mr al-Megrahi did not show his victims any comfort or compassion. They were not allowed to return to the bosom of their families to see out their lives, let alone their dying days. No compassion was shown by him to them. Click here to see a map of Megrahi's role "But that alone is not a reason for us to deny compassion to him and his family in his final days." Mr MacAskill continued: "Our justice system demands that judgement be imposed, but compassion be available. "For these reasons and these reasons alone, it is my decision that Mr Mr Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al-Megrahi, convicted in 2001 for the Lockerbie bombing, now terminally ill with prostate cancer, be released on compassionate grounds and be allowed to return to Libya to die." Mr MacAskill had been under intense pressure from the US government to keep Megrahi behind bars, with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton saying his release would be "absolutely wrong". Reaction: Lockerbie bomber freed "Compassion and mercy are about upholding the beliefs the we seek to live by, remaining true to our values as a people - no matter the severity of the provocation or the atrocity perpetrated." Some 189 Americans were among those who died in the airliner explosion. However, the Scottish Government insisted the decision had been reached "on the basis of clear evidence and on no other factors". Reacting to the decision, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement: "The United States deeply regrets the decision by the Scottish Executive to release Abdel Basset Mohamed al-Megrahi. "As we have expressed repeatedly to officials of the government of the United Kingdom and to Scottish authorities, we continue to believe that Megrahi should serve out his sentence in Scotland. The families of American victims of the Lockerbie bombing reacted angrily to the news. Kara Weipz, of Mt Laurel, New Jersey, who lost her 20-year-old brother Richard Monetti, said: "I don't understand how the Scots can show compassion. It is an utter insult and utterly disgusting. "It is horrible. I don't show compassion for someone who showed no remorse." New York state resident Paul Halsch, whose 31-year-old wife was killed, said of Mr MacAskill's decision: "I'm totally against it. He murdered 270 people. Have Your Say I am ashamed to be Scottish today. Where is the justice for the victims? Ross MacDonald, Edinburgh Send us your comment "This might sound crude or blunt, but I want him returned from Scotland the same way my wife Lorraine was and that would be in a box." Megrahi was convicted of murder in January 2001 at a trial held under Scottish law in the Netherlands. A first appeal against that verdict was rejected the following year. However, in 2007 the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission granted him a second appeal. It subsequently emerged he was suffering from terminal cancer but a bid to have him granted bail was refused. His second appeal got under way this year but shortly afterwards applications were made for both his transfer to a Libyan jail and release on compassionate grounds. Earlier this week the High Court in Edinburgh allowed Megrahi's application to drop his second appeal. LOCATIONS WHICH SHAPED MEGRAHI'S TRIAL 1. Tripoli, capital of Libya. Megrahi was born here on 1 April 1952, and worked - according to the FBI - for Libyan intelligence services. 2. Malta. Megrahi's day job, as security chief for Libyan Arab Airlines, took him to their office on the island. From there he would travel to Zurich. The bomb began its journey here in December 1988. 3. Zurich, Switzerland. The bomb's timing device was made and purchased here. 4. Frankfurt, Germany. On arrival, a suitcase later found to have contained the bomb was transferred from an Air Malta jet to a flight bound for London Heathrow. 5. London's Heathrow Airport. Pan Am flight PA 103 took off from Heathrow at 1825 GMT on Wednesday, 21 December 1988. 6. Lockerbie, Scotland. The bomb on Flight PA 103 exploded above the Scottish village at 1902 GMT. 7. Camp Zeist, Netherlands. Here, in a landmark trial, Scottish judges convicted Megrahi in 2001. 8. HMP Barlinnie. Megrahi served the first part of his sentence in this Scottish prison. 9. HMP Greenock. Megrahi was transferred from Barlinnie to Greenock in 2005. quote>

UK imposes Turks and Caicos rule Britain has imposed direct rule on the Turks and Caicos Islands after an inquiry found evidence of government corruption and incompetence. The Caribbean islands' administration has been suspended for up to two years and power has been transferred to the British-appointed governor. Politicians are accused of selling crown land for personal gain. Turks and Caicos is a UK overseas territory and residents there have British citizenship. The British government has been threatening action for several months after an inquiry commissioned by the Foreign Office returned a damning verdict. It examined the actions of the Turks' Cabinet and Assembly and found "information in abundance pointing to a high probability of systematic corruption or serious dishonesty". It also concluded there were "clear signs of political amorality and immaturity and of a general administrative incompetence". Serious step The former premier, Michael Misick, is alleged to have built up a multi-million dollar fortune since coming to power in 2003. I know that many people in Turks and Caicos Islands will welcome this move Foreign Office Minister Chris Bryant He resigned in March, but has denied the allegations and says he attracted valuable foreign investment to the islands. Foreign Office Minister Chris Bryant said: "This is a serious constitutional step which the UK government has not taken lightly, but these measures are essential in order to restore good governance and sound financial management. "It remains our intentions that elections should be held by July 2011, if not sooner. "The governor and his advisors have much to do, but I know that many people in Turks and Caicos Islands will welcome this move and have high expectations for the end outcome. "I encourage them to work with the governor to rebuild stability and confidence in their territory." The imposition of rule went ahead after a legal challenge by Mr Misick failed at the UK Court of Appeal earlier this week. No 'takeover' Turks and Caicos is a leading offshore financial centre and thousands of foreign companies are registered there. The territory is also a popular tourist destination and have a population of about 30,000. Once a dependency of Jamaica, the islands become a crown colony when Jamaica gained its independence in 1962. Gordon Wetherell, who took over as governor last year, said Britain's move did not amount to a "takeover". "Public services will continue to be run by people of the Turks and Caicos Islands, as indeed they should be, but I hope we can now begin to run them better," he said. "Our goal is to make a clean break from the mistakes of the past by establishing a durable path towards good governance, sound financial management and sustainable development." "Our guiding principles will be those of transparency, accountability and responsibility. I believe that most people in the Turks and Caicos will join with me in welcoming these changes."quote>

Decision reached on bomber's fate Megrahi is the only person to be convicted over the bombing Read Brian Taylor's blog A decision has been reached which could see the Lockerbie bomber freed or transferred to jail in Libya. The Scottish justice secretary has said he will announce the fate of Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi on Thursday afternoon. Megrahi, 57, is dying from terminal prostate cancer. The BBC revealed last week that Megrahi was likely to be released on compassionate grounds. He is serving at least 27 years in jail after his conviction for the Pan Am bomb in 1988, which killed 270 people. Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said he had informed families and other interested parties that he had reached his decision on the applications for prisoner transfer and compassionate release. He will announce his decision on Thursday at 1300 BST at the Scottish Government's ministerial headquarters in Edinburgh. Hillary Clinton: ''We think it is very much against the wishes of the family members'' It is thought preparations for Mr Megrahi's possible release were being made in time for him to be home with his family in Libya by Ramadan, which starts on Friday. Intense pressure on the justice secretary and the Scottish Government has been mounting, including interventions from the White House. On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reiterated her opposition to the possible release of Megrahi. She said it would be "absolutely wrong". "I knew a lot of these families. I talked with them about what a horror they experienced," Mrs Clinton said. Earlier this week, a letter from seven US senators including Edward Kennedy and John Kerry urged Mr MacAskill to keep Megrahi behind bars. A Scottish Government spokesman said: "We have a strong justice system in Scotland and people can be assured that the justice secretary's decisions have been reached on the basis of clear evidence and on no other factors." Appeal dropped Chancellor Alistair Darling, standing in for the prime minister while Gordon Brown is on holiday, said it was a decision for the Scottish Government. On Tuesday, judges at the High Court in Edinburgh who accepted Megrahi's application to drop his appeal were told Megrahi's health had recently worsened very considerably. By dropping his appeal, Megrahi has removed one potential obstacle to his transfer to a jail in his homeland. However, a Crown appeal against the length of his sentence is still ongoing. Megrahi has recently been serving his sentence at HMP Greenock, in the west of Scotland, after being convicted of the bombing under Scots law at a specially convened court in the Netherlands in 2001.quote>