The Lockerbie bomber, Abdel Basset al-Megrahi, is at death’s door. His relatives
told journalists that he is ‘comatose’ at a family house in Tripoli. There have been calls to extradite Megrahi in recent
days; last week, the ubiquitous William Hague said that he hoped the Scottish authorities were considering the
matter. The Libyan National Transitional has since indicated that Megrahi will remain in the country to die. Mohammed al-Alagi, the NTC justice minister, said: “We will not give any Libyan citizen to the West. Al-Megrahi has already been judged once
and he will not be judged again … We do not hand over Libyan citizens, (Muammar) Gaddafi does.”
Andrew Mitchell, the international development secretary, seemed to accept the NTC’s stance on Megrahi this morning. He told Radio 5, “In the case of al-Megrahi, he has been through a legal process and, as we have found out overnight, his life does appear to be drawing to a close.
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