Training | 2009.10.29
Megrahi release 'surprised' US
Louis Susman says US would have tried to extradite Lockerbie bomber if it had anticipated his release from Scottish prison
The United States would have tried to extradite the Lockerbie bomber if it had realised sooner that he was going to be freed by the Scottish government, the US ambassador to the UK said today.
Louis Susman said the release of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds had strained US relations with Scotland, but likened it to a "little fight" between a married couple.
Speaking on his first official visit to Scotland since becoming ambassador, Susman said in an interview with the BBC that Megrahi\'s controversial release in August had surprised Washington.
"We never anticipated his release," he said. "I think if we ever thought we had a release, we probably would have asked for extradition early on."
Susman, who was a guest of the first minister, Alex Salmond, did not explain what he meant by "early on" but his remarks appear to contradict evidence that the US government was consulted by Scottish ministers in advance about his possible release and knew about the possibility of release on compassionate grounds.
Scottish government sources have previously told the Guardian that the US embassy in London had said privately that while the US did not want Megrahi freed from Greenock prison, his release to remain in Scotland would be "far preferable".
The US refused to give the Scottish government permission to release its correspondence on the affair. An attempt to extradite Megrahi would have raised immense legal and diplomatic problems since the Libyans only released him to stand trial on the basis he would be jailed in Scotland.
Susman, a close ally of Barack Obama, played down the impact of the controversy on US-UK relations. "Good friends disagree," he said. "I compare it sometimes to a marriage. You have a little fight, you go mad, but you don\'t get divorced. I would suggest to you that it added a bit of flavour, though, to my first week."
Scotland was still a close friend of the US; more than 3,000 US citizens with Scottish roots had crossed the Atlantic to take part in Homecoming celebrations this year. "The United States is Scotland\'s biggest international trading partner and our continued co-operation will be particularly important in contributing towards economic recovery," he said.
For more information, please visit
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/oct[...]-megrahi-release-us-ambassador
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