国际英语新闻：British foreign secretary brands decision to release Lockerbie bomber "wrong and misguided"

LONDON, July 24 (Xinhua) -- British Foreign Secretary William Hague on Saturday wrote to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, saying the release of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al- Megrahi from a prison in Scotland last year was "wrong" and " misguided."

The U.S. Senate will hold an inquiry next week into the release of al-Megrahi, who was freed by the Scottish government on compassionate grounds in August 2009 because it was believed he had only three months to live, and alleged links with BP.

Media on both sides of the Atlantic had speculated in the run- up to British Prime Minister David Cameron's visit to the United States to meet U.S. President Barack Obama at the beginning of this week, that al-Megrahi's release from a life sentence after his conviction for the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 in December 1988 had been influenced by lobbying from BP.

BP had secured large fuel exploration contracts from the Libyans in the period before al-Megrahi's release.

Hague wrote: "I believe that the decision to release Mr. Megrahi was a mistake, and I am profoundly aware of the fact that every day this convicted murderer is not serving out his sentence in the Scottish prison adds to the grief and pain of those who lost loved ones in the Lockerbie tragedy."

"At the same time, I believe we have a responsibility to address the unsubstantiated rumors that there was some sort of conspiracy involving BP which led to Mr. Megrahi's release," he added.

The Scottish government, the devolved administration that has responsibility for much policy within Scotland including law and order, courts and prisons, released al-Megrahi, who is the only person to be convicted for the Lockerbie tragedy in which 270 people died, on compassionate grounds after medical experts said he had only three months to live.

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond had earlier this week written to the U.S. Senate committee saying his government had not been lobbied by BP over al-Megrahi.

His Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill was asked to appear before the committee, as was the Scottish prisons senior medical officer, but the Scottish government refused both requests.

The British government's then justice secretary Jack Straw, who is now the deputy leader of the main opposition Labor party in the British national parliament at Westminster, also received a request to attend, and on Friday refused it.