Enlarge By Alastair Grant, AP Seif-el Islam Gadhafi, son of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, talks in Tripoli, Libya in this 2000 photo. TRIPOLI, Libya  The son of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi says Scotland 's release of the only man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing opens the way for trade deals between Britain and Libya. "Lockerbie is history," Saif al-Islam al-Gadhafi said of Pan Am Flight 103, which blew up over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988, killing 270 people. "The next step is fruitful and productive business with Edinburgh, London. Libya is a promising rich market and so let's talk about the future. "There is no reason for people to be angry. Why be so angry? This is an innocent man who is dying," Gadhafi said in his first interview since returning to Libya last week with the freed prisoner, whose release sparked outrage in the USA. The mercy shown by the Scottish government has transformed the traditional Arabic view of Britain as "crusaders" against Islam, Gadhafi told The Herald in Glasgow, Scotland. Abdel Baset Ali Megrahi was released by the Scottish government Aug. 20 on compassionate grounds because he is terminally ill with prostate cancer. The controversial decision drew strong protests from President Obama and Americans who lost family members on the doomed flight. Megrahi, 57, a former Libyan intelligence agent, served eight years of his life sentence. The U.S. government warned Libya to avoid giving Megrahi a "hero's welcome" upon his return home. After a crowd cheered and waved flags at the Tripoli airport as Megrahi arrived, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs called the scene "disgusting." Gadhafi apologized for any perception that the Libyan government had not done its best to contain the jubilant scene. He said that it was not a "hero's welcome" but that Megrahi was greeted by a few hundred of his friends and family. "There was no official celebration, no guards of honor, no fireworks and no parade. We could have arranged a much better reception," Gadhafi said. "The U.S. knew a long time ago that Mr. Megrahi would probably be released and asked us to keep the reception low key. For the last three or four weeks, it has become obvious that he might have been released, so it was not a complete surprise," he said. He expressed regret at the U.S. and British response. Obama called Megrahi's release a "mistake." British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he was repulsed by the airport welcome. Megrahi will not take part in next week's ceremony to mark the 40th anniversary of the revolution in Libya and the elder Gadhafi's rule over the oil-rich North African nation. "It was a shock and surprise for Libyan society that he was freed on compassionate grounds," Gadhafi said. "And it showed the Libyans that the British and Scottish are civilized people. … That is why for the first time in our history that Libyan citizens have been out in the streets waving a different flag — the Scottish flag. "This act changed the minds of many people," he said. Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more