Libya

The release of Abdel Basset al-Megrahi from prison may have been seen as an act of compassion by the Scottish authorities for a man with terminal cancer. But it has managed to whipped up a diplomatic storm.

al-Megrahi, a Libyan national, was found guilty of blowing up an American aeroplane over Scotland in 1988 - 270 people were killed.

The US government has condemned the move whilst the British foreign secretary, David Miliband, has said that he is concerned about the public welcome that al-Megrahi received.

So are these governments just making noise in public or has the release of al-Magrahi damaged diplomatic relations?

Hassan Arouni spoke to Focus on Africa's reporter in Libya, Rana Jawad.