I was surprised to see Saif al-Islam El-Qaddafi, head of a Libyan government-owned NGO, in the New York Times this weekend insisting that there was no “hero’s welcome” for Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi (though Saif al-Islam said he was “extremely happy for Mr. Megrahi’s return”). I asked Mohamed Eljahmi what he made of this. (Eljahmi’s brother was a political dissident who died at the hands of the Libyan government.) He points to this YouTube we’ve seen of Saif al-Islam “boasting” of his involvement in the release. “There is no doubt that Megrahi was officiallly received in Libya and given a hero income,” says Eljahmi. The convicted terrorist “was flown from Britain to Tripoli on Qaddafi’s personal plane and in the company of Qaddafi’s son and Libyan officials. They were met by large crowd at the airport in Tripoli. Prior to their arrival, nationalist songs were blasted at the airport. He was received by Colonel Qaddafi a day or two later. I know at least in a Libyan context, this is more than a hero’s welcome. In fact, the Libyan government always referred to Mr. al-Megrahi as a ‘political hostage.’ Saif al-Islam is a liar, and shame on the New York Times for giving him the opportunity to publish such lies.”

Robby George, by the way, has a strong piece on the “sad and perplexing mistake.”