Britain, Scotland to show Lockerbie correspondence

The moves follow weekend media claims that the British government struck a deal with Libyan authorities to include al-Megrahi in a prisoner transfer agreement because that was considered to be in Britain's interests at a time when a major oil deal was being negotiated.

Brown told the Financial Times the decision to release al-Megrahi rested with the Scottish government in Edinburgh. He also said he told Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi at the Group of 8 meetings in Italy in July that his administration had no role in the matter.

"I made it absolutely clear to him then that this was not a decision, the future and fate of Mr. al-Megrahi, that we as the United Kingdom could take," the newspaper quoted Brown as saying. "It was a matter for the Scottish Executive, and it was their decision, and their decision alone, that would decide it."

The Sunday Times, citing leaked correspondence between Justice Secretary Jack Straw and his Scottish counterpart Kenny MacAskill, said the decision not to exclude al-Megrahi from a prisoner transfer agreement — as had originally been requested by Scotland — was made as "wider negotiations" with the government of Libya continued.