Summoned: Jack Straw, left, has been 'invited' to testify at the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the release of the Lockerbie bomber. Last night former PM Tony Blair was forced to deny that he had also been requested to appear
A diplomatic row was brewing between the UK and the U.S. this morning after Tony Blair was forced to deny he had been summoned by the Senate to explain his role in the release of the Lockerbie bomber.
Pressure: The controversy over the Lockerbie bomber's release flared up during David Cameron's visit to Washington for talks with Barack Obama
Controversial: Abdelbaset al-Megrahi landing in Libya after he was released from jail last year
Yesterday Jack Straw, the former Justice Secretary, received an 'invitation' to testify at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing over the release of Abdel Basset al Megrahi.
Mr Straw is the most senior politician to be dragged into the row. The body's request has no legal clout - but thanks him in advance for his cooperation.
Last night former Prime Minister Tony Blair was forced to deny that he has also been called to testify.
Reports claimed that Mr Blair was also being summoned before the Senate Committee after what was described as an 'unauthorised draft letter' was leaked to the media.
But Mr Blair's spokesman said the former PM had received no requests to give evidence.
And Frank Lowenstein, Staff Director of of the Senate Foreign Relations Committe said: 'Let me state unequivocally that Prime Minister Blair will not be asked to testify before the Foreign Relations Committee at the upcoming hearing on the Megrahi affair, and the Committee has no intention of ever asking him to testify on this issue.'
'Tony Blair has not been invited to testify. Any such indication was made in error,' Senate Foreign Relations Committee spokesman Fred Jones told AFP.
It remains unclear how the report first originated.
Frederick Jones, communications director for the Senate foreign relations committee, said: 'I deeply regret any confusion this may have caused. We still have to get to the bottom of this.'
The Scottish government has already snubbed a similar plea to explain why it allowed the release of the Lockerbie bomber.
First Minister Alex Salmond and his justice secretary Kenny MacAskill both rejected formal requests to allow senators to question them at a hearing into the terrorist atrocity next week.
Westminster MPs were angered by the Senate Committee request, with one politician accusing Capitol Hill of a ‘witch-hunt’.
And Mr Straw described the request for him to testify as ‘highly unusual’.
Last night he said he would agree to nothing until he has discussed it with Gordon Brown and the Foreign Office.
The politician finds himself at the heart of the affair because of the role he played in securing a prisoner transfer agreement with Libyan dictator Colonel Gaddafi in 2008.
There are suggestions that this paved the way for the terrorist’s release.
In a letter to Mr Straw, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said it wanted his ‘help in understanding the events that led to the release of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet Al Megrahi’.
Mr Straw is in a ‘unique position to help us understand several questions still lingering from this decision’, it added.
Mr Straw’s allies say Al Megrahi was not released under the pressure growing for Labour grandees to explain themselves, Mr Straw said last night that it was ‘highly unusual for the legislature of one country to inquire into the decisions made by a devolved administration of another’.
‘In principle I would have no difficulty in talking to anyone about the negotiations over the Prison Transfer Agreement.’
But he wanted to ‘know the circumstances' before agreeing with the request.
A source close to Mr Straw said: ‘If he goes, Jack will tell them that Al Megrahi was not released under the prisoner transfer agreement. It was a decision for the Scottish executive.’
MPs were incredulous that the U.S. had the temerity to demand such a senior figure to appear before them.
Former Labour defence minister Kevan Jones said: ‘This is now getting out of hand.
‘The Senate inquiry seems to be turning into a hysterical witch-hunt against BP.
'It is unthinkable for a House of Commons select committee to demand that a senior American politician be summoned across the Atlantic in this way.'
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