US Petulance Over Megrahi Blocked McKinnon Deal

Gary McKinnon With His Mother Janice

Last night politicians expressed fears McKinnon, originally from Glasgow, had been treated as a “diplomatic pawn” between America and the UK. David Burrowes, McKinnon’s MP, said he was concerned McKinnon was denied justice “for political reasons”.

He called on the Americans to review their decision, and added that when he heard Megrahi was to be released, “I thought it put paid to any hope that we had of America making a compassionate decision about Gary.”

McKinnon, who suffers from Asperger’s syndrome, is fighting extradition to the US – and up to 60 years in jail on allegations of computer hacking.The cables show that, despite public claims by the UK Government that it could not intervene, the then prime minister suggested a deal during a meeting with the American ambassador to London. Under the proposal, McKinnon would plead guilty but serve any sentence in the UK.

The newly released cable, to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, says that request was passed on to the American attorney general, Eric Holder, and was written by the ambassador, Louis Susman.

Mr Susman told an influential Scottish audience earlier this year that Megrahi should never have been released.