NewsMacAskill facing US terror threats Exclusive Panic alarms have been installed for staff at his Edinburgh constituency office and a CCTV camera is now trained on the office. Police have increased the number of “drive-bys” and they’ve been calling in to reassure staff. The increased security follows hundreds of email threats to Mr MacAskill’s office after recent controversy over the release of the Lockerbie bomber. A dozen messages have been left on the office answering phone. Some of the messages left by American callers overnight were described as “horrible”. Supportive The response from the US has been in direct contrast to the reaction Kenny MacAskill’s office has received from Scottish emailers and callers, who have been overwhelmingly supportive of his position. Some threatening emails from the United States have been the subject of checks by police in a bid to establish who sent them. The installation of panic alarms has been authorised by Scottish Parliament officials. Mr MacAskill is understood to be relaxed about the threats, but they have been taken seriously enough by parliamentary authorities for them to agree to fund the alarms. Mr Megrahi was released by the Justice Secretary on compassionate grounds last August, when it was said doctors had given him just three months to live. However, 11 months on, he is still alive although reports from Libya claim he is now very weak. SNP MSP Christine Grahame last week had an unnamed American caller who said he had written to his Congressman asking him to back military action against Scotland “in reprisal” for its decision to release Megrahi. Yesterday Foreign Secretary William Hague described Megrahi’s release as “wrong and misguided” in a letter to US senators. Proper But he accepted it was “legally and constitutionally proper” that the decision was one for the Scottish Government. Mr Hague also said several discussions were held between the then foreign secretary Jack Straw and oil giant BP ahead of a controversial prisoner transfer agreement which was being agreed with Libya in 2007. Yesterday was the first anniversary of Megrahi’s application for release on compassionate grounds. And Scottish Conservatives have now called on Mr MacAskill to publish all the medical advice he received from the experts who predicted he had three months to live. Justice spokesman John Lamont said this challenge to the SNP Government remained. “How many doctors, specialists, or medical experts examined Megrahi?” he added. “When was he examined? What did each report say? “Was the three month prognosis given by a majority, or only the prison doctor? “The Medical Officer’s report to Mr MacAskill says, ‘We attach relevant medical reports’. “Where are these reports? Where is the expert advice? Why has it not been published? Or is it the case, as the Medical Officer claims, that no expert is willing to give a prognosis of three months? “Every day the SNP refuses to publish all the medical evidence, suspicion grows they’ve something to hide.” |
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SECURITY has been stepped up around Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill following a series of threats from the United States.
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