The Lockerbie bomber’s release was linked to a £400million arms deal with Libya, secret documents reveal. They show ‘reprehensible’ connections between the Labour government boosting business and freeing the man convicted of Britain’s worst terrorist atrocity. An email sent by the then UK ambassador in Tripoli to former premier Tony Blair explained how a prisoner transfer agreement will be signed once Libya ‘fulfils its promise’ to buy an air defence system. Handshake: Tony Blair, pictured with Colonel Gaddafi in Tripoli, met the dictator six times after he resigned as Prime Minister The disclosure, obtained under Freedom of Information laws, reignites a row which is hugely embarrassing for Labour.
@highlight
Tony Blair discussed air defence deal with Libyan dictator
@highlight
Briefing note written by British ambassador said Libya was linking the contract with a prisoner transfer agreement
@highlight
Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was released from jail in 2009 on 'compassionate grounds' because he had terminal cancer
@highlight
Ultimately the defence contract was never signed by Libya
He said yesterday: ‘I was not aware of the correspondence covered in this @placeholder request.’ Mr Blair’s spokesman said the email did not show ‘the UK government was trying to link the defence deal and Megrahi’.