The former Lord Advocate, Peter Fraser, has defended his position after provoking a row about the role of Lockerbie campaigners on the 20th anniversary of the bombing of Pan Am flight 103.

Lord Fraser of Carmyllie was accused of insensitivity after claiming that one campaigner, Jim Swire, had behaved like a Stockholm syndrome sufferer. Dr Swire, whose daughter Flora died on flight 103, has defended Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, the man convicted of the bombing.

Elaine Murray, Labour MSP for Dumfries, said: “It was a pretty insensitive way of expressing his view. I don't think it was an appropriate thing to say particularly at this time.”

Lord Fraser said while he was sorry that the timing of the remarks threatened to overshadow the 20th anniversary of the atrocity, he stood by them. “I'm very sorry about that but my views on the matter are completely irrelevant in the context of 270 innocent people losing their lives. I don't regret my comments but I don't see them as more important than what anyone else has to say. I was not trying to undermine him [Mr Swire].”

Dr Swire, who became one of the spokesmen for the grieving families, said he was saddened that Lord Fraser had made his comments on the eve of the 20th anniversary.

“Lord Peter Fraser suggests that I am suffering from Stockholm syndrome, a condition where victims of terrorist outrages take up the cause of those who have attacked them.

“Since he did not accuse me of being ‘one apple short of a picnic' maybe I can be allowed to make a rational further contribution to the debate.”

He added: “I would have preferred that such matters were not raised on the back of an anniversary where relatives need to remember with gladness the lives of those they lost.”

Dr Swire believes the former Libyan agent is the victim of a miscarriage of justice and has visited him in jail. Lord Fraser, the Lord Advocate at the time of the terrorist attack, maintains that al-Megrahi's conviction is safe.

Dr Swire's views are not shared by American relatives of those who died. Robert Monetti, their spokesman, said: “I don't see any rational explanation for his behaviour.”

Lord Fraser also claimed that al-Megrahi could have five years left to live, despite suffering from incurable cancer. Campaigners have pressed for his release on compassionate grounds.

A spokesman for the First Minister, Alex Salmond, said that the Scottish government was not considering grounds for compassionate release because no such request had yet been made.

A spokesman for Mr Salmond said: “There has been no application for compassionate release. Life expectancy of less than three months may be considered a condition appropriate for early release, and it is not suggested that the criterion is presently met.”

Mr Salmond said: “My thoughts, and those of my colleagues in the Scottish government, are with the people of Lockerbie, and all those who were affected by the events of 21st December 1988 on both sides of the Atlantic.”

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