Ali Mohmed al Megrahi, the man responsible for blowing up a Pan Am Boeing 747 over the Scottish town of Lockerbie as it was flying from London to New York on December 18, 1988, is about to be granted freedom on compassionate grounds, the final decision resting with Scotland\’s Justice Secretary, Kenny MacAskill. With the crash, all 259 people on board the aircraft were killed, as well as 11 people on the ground.
Libya has repeatedly called for Megrahi\’s release, with the latest attempt undertaken at a meeting between Gordon Brown and Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi last month. Megrahi was sentenced to life in prison and is currenly battling against advanced prostate cancer.