By Daniel Kawczynski MP, Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Libya
Dear Mr MacAskill,
By potentially handing over Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi to the Libyans without the UK Government getting the murderer of PC Yvonne Fletcher in return, our country is being made to look weak and ineffective. For you alone to make this decision without ensuring a fair exchange take place is deeply concerning. We cannot just look at Lockerbie as a separate issue, but as part of an overall package of outstanding issues between the UK and Libya which includes PC Fletcher and Libyan funding for the IRA and the need to get compensation for those families affected by IRA atrocities from the Libyans. I am taking a delegation of DUP MPs to Libya shortly to discuss this issue about which they feel so strongly.
We have a prisoner exchange programme signed between the UK and Libya. Why have you not asked the UK Government to ensure that this is implemented so that an exchange can take place? Failure here will mean that the killer of PC Yvonne Fletcher will go unpunished. Please understand that the parents of PC Yvonne Fletcher desperately want the killer of their daughter to be brought to justice. This series of issues can only be negotiated at government-to-government level between the UK and Libya. By making a decision on Al-Megrahi now you are in effect throwing away a major bargaining chip for us in these protracted negotiations. Met Police officers have been to Tripoli on three occasions and have identified the killer of PC Yvonne Fletcher.
I am writing to you to ask you to ensure that a release of Al-Megrahi is part of a prisoner exchange programme and that you work with Westminster to ensure this happens.
Yours sincerely,
Daniel Kawczynski MP
