Gandhi's ideas influenced release of Lockerbie bomber: Scotland minister

The recent release of the alleged Lockerbie bomber was in line with Mahatma Gandhi's principles of compassion and non-violence, Scotland First Minister Alex Salmond has said.

Speaking during a conference of his Scottish National Party, in Inverness, Salmond said that the Scottish justice
secretary Kenny MacAskill was right in deciding to release Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds in August.

Salmond recalled the recent visit of Mahatma Gandhi's grandson, Arun Gandhi to Scotland and said, "One of the things
he told me is that his grandfather's philosophy is much misunderstood. His resistance was not passive, but active. His
dedication to non-violence a strength, not a weakness".

Salmond continued in the Gandhian mode, "Sometimes, someone has to break the cycle of retribution with an act of
compassion - that is what Kenny MacAskill did and we should be proud of him for doing it."

Earlier, Salmond said he will consider a proposal to set up a Scottish centre for non-violence, peace and
reconciliation after a meeting with Arun Gandhi.

Gandhi, 74, was in Scotland to deliver lectures at the universities of Edinburgh, Dundee and Queen Margaret. He
addressed a conference at Napier University on the Gandhian approach to ethical leadership.