Lockerbie bomber's release papers to be made public this week

A dossier of official documents giving insights into the release of the Lockerbie bomber is due to be published this week.

The latest controversy surrounding this incident presents a contrast to earlier claims by the Labour government that it did not interfere in the proceedings of al-Megrahi's release, and that the decision was taken solely by the Scot Government.

British Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell is expected to order the publication of official papers surrounding Megrahi's release this week. However, it is expected that some key passages will be redacted, The Telegraph reports.

Disclosure of the documents will pose many questions for the former Labour government and Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, as it was MacAskill who sanctioned the release of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds in August 2009, because he was supposed to have little time left to live. Al-Megrahi is still alive in Tripoli.

Prime Minister David Cameron has asked Gus O'Donnell, the Cabinet Secretary, to conduct the review and ensure that everything that could be made public is.

The tranche of letters, memos and minutes is described as comprehensive.

Previously undisclosed internal Whitehall emails, released to The Sunday Telegraph under Freedom of Information laws, show the extent of the British government's involvement.

According to Wikileaks documents, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi threatened to cut trade with Britain and warned of enormous repercussions if the Lockerbie bomber died in jail.

Abdel Basset al-Megrahi was sentenced to life in prison in 2001 for his part in blowing up New York-bound Pan Am Flight 103 in December 1988, killing 259 people on board and 11 people on the ground in the Scottish town of Lockerbie. He was freed by Scottish authorities in August 2009 on compassionate grounds, as he had prostate cancer and was thought to have just months to live.