Questions Over BP Lobbying for Lockerbie Bomber's Release Overshadows Obama, Cameron Meeting
Obama, Cameron Meet to Discuss Lockerbie, Afghanistan, BP Spill
July 20, 1010 -- The agenda for today's White House meetings between President Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron included the war in Afghanistan, the Middle East peace process and cooperation on the global economy.
But overshadowing those pressing policy issues were questions over the role that oil company BP had in pushing for the release of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al Megrahi last year in order to help secure a lucrative oil exploration deal with Libya.
Libyan-born al Megrahi was convicted of masterminding the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103, which killed 270 people, most of them American. He was sentenced to life in prison but was released and allowed to return to Libya last year on compassionate grounds after it was determined he had only three months left to live. Now his health is good, and he is living the hero's life in Libya.
Both BP and the current British government, which came to power only months ago, deny the company played any role in securing the bomber's release last year.
Cameron insisted repeatedly today that the decision to release Megrahi was solely that of the Scottish government and he has not seen anything to indicate that they were swayed by any lobbying efforts by BP. He also said he did not think there was a need for a U.-K. based inquiry into the matter.
"I don't need an inquiry to tell me what was a bad decision," he said. "It was a bad decision."
The British Prime Minister did say that while there was "absolutely not harm to be done" by providing a full explanation into the circumstances, he did not think there was "any great mystery here."
"There was a decision taken by the Scottish Executive -- in my view, a wholly wrong and misguided decision, a bad decision, but their decision, nonetheless," he said. "That's what happened, and I don't think we need an extra inquiry to tell us that that's what happened."
Obama said he agreed that the release of Megrahi was a "bad decision," but he said he fully supports Cameron's efforts to learn more.
This was Cameron's first official visit to the White House since he took office in May.
Both Obama and Cameron emphasized the "special relationship" between their two nations and Obama said that the United States "has no closer ally and no stronger partner than Great Britain."
Related Stories
ABC News Live