Washington - On the day that the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee was originally scheduled to hold a hearing on the release of the Pan Am Flight 103 bomber, the hearing's chair is asking key witnesses who had declined to appear today to provide acceptable dates in September on which they would be able to testify. U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) intends to hold the hearing in conjunction with results of an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the release of Abdelbasset al-Megrahi that he will lead.

Menendez sent letters to Scottish, British and U.S. government officials today, as well as to BP.

"A number of key witnesses indicated that they would not testify at a hearing that would have been held today, which is why we refocused our efforts and announced a new plan for getting to the bottom of al-Megrahi's release," said Menendez. "The plan includes an investigation and a rescheduled hearing. The presence of these key witnesses continues to be requested in order to provide answers to the questions that remain over the decision to release al-Megrahi. My hope is that giving these witnesses a longer lead time will allow them to reconsider participating and to work the hearing into their schedules."

Letters sent by Menendez today:

BP CEO Tony Hayward: http://menendez.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/20100729ltr_Hayward.pdf

Incoming BP CEO Robert Dudley: http://menendez.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/20100729ltr_Dudley.pdf

BP Consultant Sir Mark Allen: http://menendez.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/20100729ltr_Allen.pdf

Scottish First Secretary Alex Salmond (request is for Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill and Dr. Andrew Fraser): http://menendez.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/20100729ltr_Salmond.pdf

Former British Justice Secretary Jack Straw: http://menendez.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/20100729ltr_Straw.pdf

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder: http://menendez.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/20100729ltr_Holder.pdf

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: http://menendez.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/20100729ltr_Clinton.pdf


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