The Libyan authorities broke their promise not to hold celebrations for the return of the Lockerbie bomber, the Scottish Justice Secretary said today.

Kenny MacAskill was speaking at the start of an emergency session of the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, which was recalled for MSPs to debate his decision last Thursday to release Abdel Baset Ali al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds.

America has responded with outrage to the release and to the scenes of jubilation that ensued in the Libyan capital when al-Megrahi arrived back in his homeland.

Relatives of some of the 189 US victims said that the hero's welcome given to al-Megrahi, who is suffering from prostate cancer, had caused them renewed pain and there were calls from the US for a boycott of Scottish goods in retaliation.

"It is a matter of great regret that Mr al-Megrahi was received in such an inappropriate manner," said Mr MacAskill.

“It showed no compassion or sensitivity to the families of the 270 victims of Lockerbie.

“Assurances had been given by the Libyan Government that any return would be dealt with in a low-key and sensitive fashion. Advance notice of my decisions was given to the UK and US Governments so that they could seek similar assurances.

“However my decision was made following due process and according to the law of Scotland. I stand by the law and values of Scotland.”

Gordon Brown, meanwhile, who has been accused of overseeing a secret deal to ensure al-Megrahi's release in return for restored trade and business links with oil-rich Libya, said that the issue was far too sensitive for him to comment on, but that the decision had been taken by Mr MacAskill alone.

In a separate development, Buckingham Palace confirmed that The Duke of York will not travel to Tripoli next month for a three-day mission in his role as Special Representative for UK Trade and Investment.

The taxpayer-funded mission, to discuss British commercial interests in Libya including oil and gas contracts, has been cancelled in the wake of the Lockerbie furore. In a short statement Buckingham Palace said: “There are no plans for the Duke of York to visit Libya.”

In Edinburgh, the Scottish Justice Secretary was pressed by Iain Gray, the Scottish Labour leader, to reveal whether a deal involving the Westminster government had been done to grant al-Megrahi's release in the hopes of boosting British business interests.

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