Megrahi files 'may be released'

[This is the heading over a report on the BBC News website. The following are excerpts.]

Scotland's justice secretary has said he may release confidential documents relating to the Lockerbie bomber's appeal against conviction.

Kenny MacAskill said a Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission report could be made public if those who gave evidence granted their permission.

The independent commission concluded Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi may have been the victim of a miscarriage of justice.

Some of its findings have been released but most of the report remains secret. (...)

Mr MacAskill said he would now consider publishing the commission's 800 page report but only if those who gave evidence granted their permission.

He told BBC Radio Scotland: "There are matters that have to be reviewed here. We have to make sure we don't compromise anybody's security, and that could come about. That we don't lay people open to defamation.

"We have always said we are more than happy to publish everything relevant where appropriate consents are given."

He said he was willing to have discussions with the chairman of the criminal cases review about publishing the report.

He added: "I give you a clear assurance we have nothing to hide. We are happy to co-operate with any inquiry, any jurisdiction and we're happy to make sure we publish as much as we can as long as it does not interfere or undermine the appropriate rights or sensitivities of others."

Mr MacAskill also denied having read medical reports on Megrahi's medical condition that had been paid for by the Libyan government, before deciding to release him.

He said the assessments, by leading cancer specialists, arrived at his office too late, and he was guided instead by the views of the director of health at the Scottish Prison Service.

[Before everyone gets too excited over this, it is as well to point out that if "appropriate consents" have to be obtained before publication, it is in the highest degree unlikely that the UK Foreign Office will consent, given the Foreign Secretary's assertion of public interest immunity in Mr Megrahi's abandoned appeal in respect of documents seen by the SCCRC and the non-disclosure of which in the Zeist trial formed one of its reasons for holding that there might have been a miscarriage of justice.]