In August 2009 , the Special Relationship was again reported to have " taken another blow " with the release on compassionate grounds of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi , the man convicted of the 1988 Lockerbie Bombing . U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said " it was absolutely wrong to release Abdelbaset al-Megrahi " , adding " We are still encouraging the Scottish authorities not to do so and hope they will not " . Obama also commented that the release of al-Megrahi was a " mistake " and " highly objectionable "
Lockerbie Bombing
Pan Am Flight 103
Special Relationship