Obama: Release of Lockerbie convict was ‘mistake’

TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — The only man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing returned home Thursday to a cheering crowd tossing flower petals in the air after his release from a Scottish prison — an outrage to many relatives of the 270 people who perished when Pan Am Flight 103 exploded.

President Barack Obama said the Scottish decision to free terminally ill Abdel Baset al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds was a mistake and said he should be under house arrest. Obama warned Libya not to give him a hero’s welcome.

Despite the warning, thousands of young men were on hand at the military airport in Tripoli where al-Megrahi’s plane touched down. Looking tired and wearing a dark suit and a burgundy tie, al-Megrahi left the plane.

He was accompanied by Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s son, Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, who was dressed in a traditional white robe and golden embroidered vest. The son pledged last year to bring al-Megrahi home and raised his hand victoriously to the crowd as he exited the plane. They then sped off in a convoy of white sedans.

But al-Megrahi’s release disgusted many victims’ relatives.

“You get that lump in your throat and you feel like you’re going to throw up,” said Norma Maslowski, of Haddonfield, N.J., whose 30-year-old daughter, Diane, died in the attack.

“This isn’t about compassionate release. This is part of give-Gadhafi-what-he-wants-so-we-can-have-the-oil,” said Susan Cohen, of Cape May Court House, N.J. Her 20-year-old daughter, Theodora, was killed.