PM backs Libya compensation claims

Gordon Brown with Libyan leader Col Gaddafi back in July

Gordon Brown has said he will back the families of IRA victims as they chase the Libyan government for compensation pay-outs.

Many of the guns and explosives used by the IRA were supplied by Libya and the families of victims have spent years chasing the government there for justice.

Hundreds of innocent people were killed or injured on UK soil during the IRA campaign.

Now that Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi has been released from a Scottish prison there are calls for Libya to return the favour by paying out to British terror victims.

Jason McCue, the lawyer working for victims' families, said: "Up to four thousand victims now have a chance of getting proper compensation.

"The prime minister and the government will make very positive statements to their counterparts in Libya that they would like this settled.

"Remember, this has gone on for 20 years, of victims trying to seek justice so this is a really big step."

U-turn criticism

However Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam Gaddafi said any claims will be addressed in the courts.

Gordon Brown's faced criticism for putting relations with Libya ahead of supporting victims' families.

So, his offer of help now is being called a major U-turn.

The prime minister has offered "dedicated foreign office support to the victims' campaign."

He added: "Our embassy in Tripoli will accompany the famlies and their reps to meetings with the Libyan government to negotiate compensation."

Libya used to be considered a rogue state because it was a big supporter of terror groups like the IRA.

But recently, they've made a big play of being more reasonable.

Colin Parry's 12-year-old son was killed by an IRA bomb in Warrington.

He says if they want to prove their bad days are behind them, they've got to pay up.

"They've got to address the sins they committed in the past. The only way they can do that is financially, to compensate those people they hurt so badly," he said.