Lockerbie Bomber Release: The Plot Thickens

The London Times has the scoop:

Gordon Brown was dragged into the centre of the row over the early release of the Lockerbie bomber last night after it emerged that a key decision that could have paved the way for the terrorist to serve his sentence in Libya was approved by Downing Street.

A source close to Jack Straw told The Times that the move to include Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi in a prisoner transfer agreement in 2007 was a government decision and was not made at the sole discretion of the Justice Secretary. “It wasn’t just Jack who decided this. It was a Government decision. Jack did not act unilaterally.”

Meanwhile, the already embattled Gordon Brown is going to get pummeled some more as the Times further reports that MPs are gearing up to investigate the matter to see if there were any back room deals that facilitated al-Megrahi's release.

State side, NY Senator Chuck Schumer is calling for possible sanctions against Britain.

It's quite possible that this release was an explicit quid-pro-quo which would allow British firms to get access to Libyan energy. If that is indeed the case, it throws into sharp relief the oft-debated question about values vs. interests. Does Britain's interest in energy outweigh her interest in the feelings of the Lockerbie victims' families (not to mention the public outrage on both sides of the Atlantic)?

(AP Photos)