London:
The Lockerbie bomber, who has outlived the three-months prognosis that led to his release on sympathetic grounds could survive 10 years or longer, the cancer specialist who examined the Libyan last year has said.
Suffering from terminal cancer, Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi of Libya was assessed last year by Prof Karol Shikora who predicted he would be dead within three months of his release from prison.
Shikora now says it is "embarrassing" that the convicted killer has outlived his prognosis by so long.
Other doctors involved in Megrahi's case said they did not believe he was close to death when he was released on compassionate grounds in August last year.
The Scottish government provoked international outrage when it freed the Libyan, claiming there was a "firm consensus" among medical experts that he would die from prostate cancer within three months.
A Sunday Times investigation has established that one expert told Scottish officials at the time that Megrahi may have had "many months" to live.
Other doctors refused to put a timeframe on his survival because of the unpredictability of the cancer. Some involved in his treatment were not even asked for their opinion.
The advice of two experts consulted by the Libyans was ignored after they said Megrahi could live for 19 months.
Megrahi is the only person convicted of the 1988 bombing of a US Pan Am jumbo jet over the Scottish town of Lockerbie, which left 270 people dead.
The disclosures are likely fuel claims that the Scottish government and the Libyan authorities "rigged" the medical evidence to secure his freedom.
Suffering from terminal cancer, Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi of Libya was assessed last year by Prof Karol Shikora who predicted he would be dead within three months of his release from prison.
Shikora now says it is "embarrassing" that the convicted killer has outlived his prognosis by so long.
Other doctors involved in Megrahi's case said they did not believe he was close to death when he was released on compassionate grounds in August last year.
The Scottish government provoked international outrage when it freed the Libyan, claiming there was a "firm consensus" among medical experts that he would die from prostate cancer within three months.
A Sunday Times investigation has established that one expert told Scottish officials at the time that Megrahi may have had "many months" to live.
Other doctors refused to put a timeframe on his survival because of the unpredictability of the cancer. Some involved in his treatment were not even asked for their opinion.
The advice of two experts consulted by the Libyans was ignored after they said Megrahi could live for 19 months.
Megrahi is the only person convicted of the 1988 bombing of a US Pan Am jumbo jet over the Scottish town of Lockerbie, which left 270 people dead.
The disclosures are likely fuel claims that the Scottish government and the Libyan authorities "rigged" the medical evidence to secure his freedom.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
