CNSNews.com - Lockerbie Probe May Prove Uncomfortable for Obama Administration

CNSNews.com - Lockerbie Probe May Prove Uncomfortable for Obama Administration:

In this photo taken Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009, Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, left, arrives in Tripoli, Libya, accompanied by Muammar Gaddafi’s son, Saif al-Islam. (AP Photo, File)

(CNSNews.com) – The four Democratic U.S. senators probing the early release of the Libyan convicted in the Lockerbie bombing believe there were links to a BP oil deal, but their inquiry may have the unintended consequence of raising questions about just how strongly the Obama administration opposed the Libyan’s release.

Abdel Baset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi was the only person convicted of the 1988 Pan Am Flight 103 bombing in which 270 people were killed. Sentenced to life in prison, he was freed and sent home last summer “on compassionate grounds,” after medical experts said he was dying of prostate cancer.

Scottish government ministers, stung by accusations that they released Megrahi to ease a massive oil exploration contract in Libya, are pointing out that it is the U.S. government that is blocking the release of two documents relating to the decision.

One of the documents is a demarche and letter to Scottish First Minister Salmond from deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in London, Richard LeBaron, dated August 12, 2009, eight days before Megrahi was released.