Lockerbie bomber released to help British oil deal: Report

LONDON — The British government allowed the Lockerbie bomber to be covered by a prisoner transfer agreement with Libya because that was in the “overwhelming interests of the United Kingdom” as a major oil deal was being negotiated, a newspaper reported Sunday.

The Sunday Times, citing leaked correspondence between Justice Secretary Jack Straw and his Scottish counterpart Kenny MacAskill, said the decision was made as “wider negotiations” with the government of Libya continued.

Abdel Baset al-Megrahi’s request to serve out his life sentence in Libya was later denied by MacAskill, but he released the Libyan on compassionate grounds because he is terminally ill. Al-Megrahi returned to Libya earlier this month.