Gaddafi welcomes home Lockerbie bomber
In this image grab taken from a newscast on Libya's official television, Libyan leader Muammer Gaddafi (L) welcomes freed Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi inside his tent in Tripoli on Friday. Photo: AFP
Libyan leader Muammer Gaddafi welcomed home the only man convicted of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing that killed 270 people with a hug and praised Scotland for releasing him.
Abdel Baset al-Megrahi returned to Libya Thursday after Scottish officials announced he was being freed on compassionate grounds because he is suffering from terminal prostate cancer. The decision to free al-Megrahi has been met with condemnation by many of the victims' families and the US, which has called for him to be put under house arrest.
The US and Britain were also outraged at the warm welcome al-Megrahi received at the airport when he arrived in Tripoli, where he was met by a crowd of hundreds, some who threw flower petals.
Gaddafi's Friday meeting with al-Megrahi, which was shown on Libyan state television, is sure to fuel the debate about how Libya should be treating the man they once turned over for trial.
Gaddafi hugged al-Megrahi, who at one point kissed the Libyan leader's hand, before sitting down with al-Megrahi and his family.
In what has been the only official Libyan reaction since the release, Gaddafi lauded Scotland for their decision.
"To my friends in Scotland; the Scottish National Party, and Scottish Prime Minister, and the Foreign Secretary, I praise their courage for having proved their independence in decision making, despite the unacceptable and unreasonable pressures they faced. Nevertheless, they took this courageously right and humanitarian decision," he said.
Gaddafi went on to cite "my friend Brown, the Prime Minister of Britain, his government, the Queen of Britain, Elizabeth, and Prince Andrew, who all contributed to encouraging the Scottish government to take this historic and courageous decision, despite the obstacles."
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