Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has announced that Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al-Megrahi will be released on compassionate grounds.

Megrahi, who is suffering from terminal prostate cancer, has served eight years in prison in Scotland having been found guilty of killing 270 people in 1988 through the bombing of Pan Am flight over the Scottish town of Lockerbie.

Megrahi has dropped his appeal against his conviction as he seeks to return home to Libya.

MacAskill has come under severe pressure in recent weeks to keep Megrahi in Scotland.