BP confirmed Thursday it lobbied the U.K. government to speed up the release of Libyan prisoners — but denied it tried to intervene in the case of Lockerbie bomber Abdel Basset al Megrahi.
The company, currently battling the catastrophic oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, made the statement after U.S. senators accused BP of being part of a deal to free Megrahi early in return for lucrative oil exploration rights.
Megrahi was serving life for the deaths of 270 people — including 189 Americans — killed when Pan Am Flight 103 was blown out of the sky above the Scottish town of Lockerbie in 1988.
Released on health grounds in August 2009, when doctors said he only had weeks to live, he is still alive and living in freedom in Libya.
A statement from BP said: “It is matter of public record that in late 2007 BP told the U.K. Government that we were concerned about the slow progress that was being made in concluding a Prisoner Transfer Agreement with Libya.
“We were aware that this could have a negative impact on U.K. commercial interests, including the ratification by the Libyan Government of BP’s exploration agreement.
“The decision to release Mr al Megrahi in August 2009 was taken by the Scottish Government.
“It’s not for BP to comment on the decision of the Scottish Government. BP was not involved in any discussions with the U.K. Government or the Scottish Government about the release of Mr al Megrahi.”
At a news conference the senators – Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) – demanded BP delay its plans to drill off the northern coast of Libya unless British and state department investigations clear the company of lobbying for Megrahi’s release.
Schumer said: “It is almost too disgusting to fathom that BP had a possible role in securing the release of the Lockerbie terrorist in return for an oil drilling deal.”
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton agreed to investigate the claims BP had accepted “blood money” from the Libyan government.
“I have received the letter and we will obviously look into it,” she said late Wednesday.