Megrahi interviewer writes exclusively for The Lockerbie Case

[George Thomson has provided, exclusively to this blog, the following account of his recent meeting with Abdelbaset Megrahi:]

As you are probably aware some of this mornings newspapers are carrying a story of my recent trip to Libya where I managed to meet up with Baset on two occasions.  I was shocked and I must admit a bit distressed by what I found. He is in a very poor state of health and I have no doubt in my mind that he has not got long on this earth.  It will come as a surprise to many to learn that Baset possesses a strong sense of humour and I took him out a gift of a tea towel which had a lot of the old Scottish words on it like glaikit and crabbit. He used to try and learn one word every visit I made to him in prison. I was not slow to point out to him that I had found him to be crabbit on many of the occasions I visited him in jail. He responded by saying to me "George, I have a new word, 'I am knackered'" [RB: For those requiring a translation of these Scots words, resort should be made to the online Dictionary of the Scots Language.]

The reason I was in Tripoli was in connection with the making of a follow-up documentary to Lockerbie -  The Pan Am Bomber in which much of the new evidence discovered by the SCCRC is investigated.  We were hopeful to get a filmed interview with him which would be broadcast as part of the new documentary which will be screened in conjunction with the release of John Ashton's book sometime early in the New Year.

As it happened Baset was to ill to be bothered with a television crew setting up in his bedroom to which he is now confined, but he was keen to say something about his case before he dies and so he agreed to be interviewed by me on camera on condition that I operated the camera on my own.  Having never held a television camera in my life I was a wee bit dubious as to how that would be possible, but it worked out not too badly and he was able to get some things off his chest.

Because of contractual agreements I am not at liberty to disclose the parts of the interview where he talks about the new evidence which will be revealed in the book and in the film, but he was very keen to say something about the way he was treated during his time here in Scotland.  In particular on camera he thanks the Scottish public for the kindness shown to him and the support he has received for his case.  He also thanks the staff and prisoners of Barlinnie and Greenock Prison for the general way in which he was treated while in custody.

One of my questions to him was "If Tony Gauci was here tonight what message would you have for him?"  With obvious passion he replied, "I would tell him that I have never in my life been in his shop and I have never ever bought any clothes from him, I would tell him that before I saw him in Holland I had never set eyes on him before. I would tell him that he was a simple man who would have to answer to his God and my God one day for what he has done."  Baset went further at this point but I am prohibited from revealing the whole of his response to my question for the time being.

I asked him what he thought of the SCCRC report and he said that in many area they had done a very good job, but in others they had not addressed many of the points that they should have.  He blames the SCCRC for not properly investigating some of the allegation of malpractice by the police and he goes on to identify two officers in particular who he particulary blames for malpractice. He claims that in all Gauci met with the police 55 times, but there exists only a handful of statements from him.

Off camera we talked about the continuing support he receives and in particular from this blog.  He is well aware of the efforts of Bob and many of the regular contributors to the blog and he sends his thanks.  He is no longer able to follow things on a regular basis.

Of particular interest to myself, he formally released me from a confidentiality contract which has been in place for some time now and which has prevented me from answering some of the points made by certain contributors who pop up now and again and talk drivel.

On Baset's behalf I would challenge any of the following such as Mr Marquise, Harry Bell, John Crawford to face me across a table in open debate about the quality of the evidence.  My door is open any time they want to call.

Finally the main purpose of him giving the final interview on camera and the generating of the press interest of today was to hammer home a final request from Baset to be allowed to now die in peace without intrusion from the world media or any other parties. You only have to see him to appreciate how really sick and weak he is now. I only hope that his plea is granted.

[What follows is the text of a comment posted in response to this blog post:]

As it happens, I was working in the education department in HMP Barlinnie during part of Megrahi's incarceration there. I obviously can't speak for them all but I can confirm that such staff as I spoke to who had any involvement with him took their responsibility seriously. It is gracious of a deeply-wronged man to find time to thank them. Thanks for the piece.