MSP Christine Grahame has claimed there is evidence to suggest that senior officials and British Ministers are preventing the truth about the destruction of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie reaching the public domain.

Her comments come after she was refused entry to meet with Megrahi, despite the visit being prearranged. 

“From the evidence I have seen I think there is an indication that very senior officials and British Ministers do not want the truth about this case to enter the public arena," she said.

"I believe that is why the British Government has rushed through the Prisoner Transfer Protocol with Libya, in the hope Mr Megrahi will drop his appeal, as he must do under the terms of the protocol arrangement to be eligible to be transferred back to his homeland. That would ensure that the details about the unsafe nature of this conviction and the manner in which the investigation was carried out by both Scottish and US investigators will be covered up.”

Grahame had been offered a private meeting with the Megrahi, who had agreed to the meeting, at Greenock Prison. However  officials at the Scottish Prison Service "blocked" the visit, refusing to give an explanation.

“I was offered a private visit last week to speak to Mr Megrahi directly and I intended to meet with him on Sunday morning. On Saturday evening however the prison Governor contacted my office to advise that the meeting would not be able to proceed due to unspecified reasons. Despite several attempts to seek clarification from the Scottish Prison Service no satisfactory explanation has been offered,” she said. 

“I believe, as many campaigners and relatives of Lockerbie victims believe, that the conviction against Mr Megrahi is unsafe and, like the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission, I think there is evidence that a miscarriage of justice has taken place. If that is the case it is not only an injustice for Mr Megrahi but also for the 270 victims of Pan Am 103." 

Grahame has been working with the Justice for Megrahi campaign.

A spokesman for the Scottish Prison Service said it could not comment on individual prisoner circumstances.

“The Scottish Prison Service has established procedures for organising visits which involve appropriate notice and adherence to appropriate booking procedures. Whilst we try to accommodate all visits this is not always possible, especially at weekends,” he said.