Scottish government releases Lockerbie bomber

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The Scottish government has ordered the early release of Lockerbie bomber Abdel Basset, alMegrahi.

US President Barack Obama calls it a mistake, and says the Libyan should be under house arrest.

The Lockerbie bomber left prison on Thursday, only eight years into his sentence. He boarded a plane waiting at Glasgow Airport and flew home to Libya.

Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill explained the reason for the decision.

Kenny Macaskill, Scottish Justice Secretary, said, "It is my decision that Mr Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, convicted in 2001 for the Lockerbie bombing, now terminally ill with prostate cancer, be released on compassionate grounds and be allowed to return to Libya to die."

US President Barack Obama slammed the release of the Lockerbie bomber.

Barack Obama, US President, said, "We have been in contact with the Scottish government indicating that we objected to this. And we thought it was a mistake. We're now in contact with the Libyan government and want to make sure that if, in fact, this transfer has taken place that he is not welcomed back in some way but instead, should be under house arrest."

The 57-year-old was convicted in 2001 of plotting the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 on December 21st, 1988, which killed 270 people. He was sentenced to a minimum of 27 years and was serving the time in a Scottish prison.