US secretly wanted Lockerbie bomber freed

London, July 25 (ANI): The United States Government is reported to have secretly told Scottish ministers that they wanted Lockerbie bomber Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi to be freed on compassionate grounds and remain in Scotland rather than be switched to a Libyan jail under the Prisoner Transfer Agreement.

According to a News of The World report, a letter from Richard LeBaron, deputy head of the US Embassy in London, to Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond emerged last night, stating: "It would be a far preferable alternative."

However, Scotland's Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill last night denied striking a deal with cancer sufferer al-Megrahi after it emerged he visited him in his cell a week before his release.

Al-Megrahi was jailed for life for the 1988 jet blast that killed 270. (ANI)