Megrahi case closed, Libyan leaders say

TRIPOLI, Libya, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- The Libyan justice minister in the transitional government said, following an investigation from Scottish officials, that the Lockerbie bomber case is closed.

A spokesman for the Scottish government was quoted by the BBC as saying it would continue through the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office to "pursue lines of inquiry" in the case against Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi.

Megrahi, a former Libyan intelligence officer, was convicted in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, in which 270 people were killed. He was released from prison by Scottish officials in August 2009 on compassion grounds because of a terminal prostate cancer diagnosis.

Mohammed al-Alagi, the justice minister for the Transitional National Council, was quoted by CNN International as saying the case is closed.

"As Libyan justice minister, I believe this case is closed and a man can't be tried twice for the same alleged crime," he said.

U.S. lawmakers, following the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico last year, investigated whether Megrahi's release was linked to a BP deal to explore for oil in Libya. British, Scottish and BP officials deny charges Megrahi's release was related to oil.

Megrahi is reportedly in a coma and under the care of his family in Tripoli.