The U.S. Senators will hold a hearing Wednesday on the circumstances surrounding the release of convicted Pan Am Flight 103 bomber Abdelbasset al-Megrahi from a Scottish prison last year.
Sen. Robert Menendez heading the investigation said at a hearing Wednesday that Abdel Baset al-Megrahi (AHB'-dehl BAH'-seht AH'-lee ahl-meh-GRAH'-hee) stated last year that he had not received chemotherapy — and that medical records released by Scotland didn't say he received that treatment.
The Scottish government released al-Megrahi just over a year ago on the grounds that he had cancer and was not likely to live more than three more months.
Al-Megrahi is the only person convicted in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, which exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, in December 1988, killing 259 people on the plane and 11 on the ground.
At the time of his release, it was said he only had three months to live. However, he is still alive and well in Libya. Rumors have since swirled that the release was made in exchange for lucrative BP oil contracts off the coast of Libya.
Today's witnesses include U.S. government officials with knowledge of the release, as well as medical and political experts. Menendez initially postponed the hearing this summer because the British government and BP oil refused to send representatives. Both still refuse invitations to testify.
The case has outraged many on both sides of the Atlantic and led U.S. senators to demand answers from Scotland about the details of his release.
