Poll: 82 Percent of Americans Oppose Decision to Release Lockerbie Bomber

An overwhelming majority of Americans oppose Scotland's decision to release the convicted Lockerbie bomber on so-called compassionate grounds, according to a new poll.

Rasmussen Reports released a survey Monday showing 82 percent disagree with last week's decision by Scotland's justice minister to free Abdel Baset al-Megrahi and allow him to return to Libya.

Megrahi, who is terminally ill with prostate cancer, was the only person convicted in the 1988 airline bombing that killed 270 people.

According to Rasmussen, majorities across every demographic category disagreed with the decision. Just 10 percent agreed with the decision, which according to the new poll was heavily followed by Americans.

Sixty-three percent of adults said they followed news reports about the Lockerbie bomber.

The survey comes after a host of top U.S. officials have condemned the decision.

Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in an interview Sunday he was "appalled" by the move.

FBI Director Robert Mueller sent a letter to Scotland's Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill saying the release "gives comfort to terrorists" around the world.

The survey, taken Saturday and Sunday, was based on interviews with 1,000 adults. The poll had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.