Megrahi release sees trade treble

[This is the headline over a report (behind the paywall) published today on the website of The Sunday Times.  It reads in part:]

A significant growth in trade between the UK and Libya, following the Lockerbie bomber Megrahi’s release, suggest a government bargain

Politicians are facing fresh claims of a “trade for terrorist” deal over the Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi after it emerged that the value of business between Scotland and Libya trebled in the year following his release.

Official government figures show the value of deals with Libya, which threatened to terminate energy and defence contracts with Britain unless Megrahi was freed, rose from £33m in 2008 to £104m in 2010.

The value of imports and exports with Qatar, which also lobbied Scottish ministers to free Megrahi on behalf of the 22 member states of the Arab League, more than doubled from £60m to £137m over the same period.

Britain’s trade with Qatar increased four-fold, from £802m to £3.2 billion, while the value of its deals with Libya rose 34% to £1.66 billion.

Declassified documents have previously shown that Gordon Brown’s government tried to help secure Megrahi’s release to safeguard trade with Libya.

The Scottish government insists its decision was based on compassionate grounds after Megrahi was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Megrahi is still alive, more than two years after his release. (...)

 A Labour spokesman said the trade figures were “extremely surprising” and raised questions for Alex Salmond, Scotland’s first minister. [RB: If the trade figures -- which relate to Britain, not Scotland -- raise questions, they are surely questions for the then Labour Government of the UK.  Perhaps realisation of this is the reason why the "Labour spokesman" hides behind a cloak of anonymity.

Addendum 
The print version of this report on page 5 of the Scottish edition of The Sunday Times identifies the Labour spokesman as James Kelly MSP. It ends with the following sentence: "Qatar officials denied offering the Scottish government any inducement to release Megrahi."]