Archbishop Desmond Tutu, one of the world’s most respected churchmen, has thrown his weight behind Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill’s decision to release Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi.
Archbishop Tutu’s backing comes hard on the heels of similar support from fellow South African Nelson Mandela, as revealed in The Sunday Post two weeks ago.
In a message sent to the Scottish Government Archbishop Tutu also claimed much of the outcry about the release had been caused by the welcome received by al-Megrahi in Libya.
He said this issue should be kept separate from the decision to release him.
He also called on families and friends of those who died at Lockerbie to show compassion to al-Megrahi, who has been diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer.
“I believe the Scottish Justice Secretary’s decision to release Mr al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds is to be commended,” Archbishop Tutu said in his message.
“One understands the anguish of family members and friends of the victims but they honour their memory more by being compassionate than retributive,” he added.
“The outcry has been caused not so much by the release as by the welcome he got in Libya. These two issues should be separated.”
A spokesman for First Minister Alex Salmond said Archbishop Tutu’s remarks were welcome and added, “More and more people in Scotland support the decision.
“Approval has moved forward to 45 per cent, as opposition has declined to the same level, and there is substantial international opinion in favour.
“In rejecting the Prisoner Transfer Application, and granting compassionate release to al-Megrahi to be sent back to Libya to die, the Justice Secretary took the right decision for the right reasons.”
Archbishop Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his work against apartheid in South Africa.
In 1996, he was appointed by President Nelson Mandela to chair the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, established to investigate human rights violations during apartheid.
[The above is an excerpt from a report in today's edition of The Sunday Post, Scotland's largest-circulation Sunday newspaper.
Many other newspapers have now picked up The Sunday Post's exclusive, including The Herald, whose report can be read here.]
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