Anger over "hero's welcome"

The welcome given to freed Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi has sparked anger from both sides of the Atlantic.

The 57 year old was met with scenes of celebration and jubilation on arrival in Libya's capital, Tripoli. Crowds had gathered to meet Mr Meghrai as he left the plane and waved both Libyan and Scottish flag from the airport's tarmac.

Britan's Foreign secretary, David Milliband, commented that "Obviously the sight of a mass murderer getting a hero's welcome in Tripoli is deeply upsetting, deeply distressing." He added "that how the Libyan government handles itself in the next few days will be very significant in the way the world views Libya's re-entry into the civilised community of nations,"

White House spokesperson, Bill Burton, said "It is disturbing to see images suggesting that Megrahi was accorded a hero's welcome instead of being treated as a convicted murderer," He also said that the US government had made it clear to Libyan authorities that "such a welcome sends the wrong message and is deeply offensive to the families of the hundreds of people who lost their lives in the Lockerbie bombing".

Downing Street also said that the British Prime Minister had contacted the Libyan government about al-Megrahi's reception and had asked them to "act with sensitivity".

Families of the victims of the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland have begun to discuss ways to protest at Megrahi's release. 270 people were killed when the plane was bombed in December 1988 including 11 who were killed when debris rained upon the Scottish town.