The secretary for justice in the devolved government in Scotland decided Aug. 20 to release Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi, the only individual who had been convicted of involvement in the so-called Lockerbie tragedy. This terrorist incident occurred more than 20 years ago when a Pan American airliner was brought down over Lockerbie, Scotland, by a bomb in the hold. Fatalities totaled 270, mostly Americans, but the victims hailed from 21 countries in all.

Al-Megrahi had been convicted under Scottish law in a court, specially convened in the Netherlands, of responsibility for the tragedy. The reason given for his release was that he was suffering from terminal cancer and was likely to die within three months. The release was accordingly made on compassionate grounds.

Al-Megrahi, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment (meaning a minimum of 27 years under Scottish law), had only served some eight years of his sentence. He has never apparently shown any remorse for the victims of the tragedy. On his release he was flown back to Libya on the personal aircraft of Col. Moammar Gadhafi, the Libyan dictator. Accompanied by one of the colonel's sons, he was given a hero's welcome on arrival in Tripoli.