London - The Libyan authorities have applied for the transfer of the man convicted of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing in which 270 people died, the government of Scotland said Wednesday.

The move could see Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi, sent home to Libya after serving eight years of a life-term in a prison in Scotland.

Al-Megrahi, who is suffering from cancer, launched a second appeal against his conviction last week, which is currently being heard by the Appeal Court in Edinburgh, Scotland.

"The application will be considered by officials who will provide information and advice to Scottish ministers for decision on this matter," a Scottish government spokesman said Wednesday.

The move follows the ratification last week of a prisoner transfer agreement between the British and Libyan governments.

"Under the terms of the agreement this process may take 90 days although it could be longer if further information is required in relation to the application, or for another reason," said the spokesman.

The prisoner's transfer to Libya would require the appeal proceedings to be dropped.

Al-Megrahi, described as a Libyan agent, was convicted of the bombing by a special court set up in the Netherlands in January, 2001.

The court ruled that he must serve a minium of 27 years.

The bomb that destroyed PanAm Flight 103 from London to New York on December 21, 1988, killed 259 passengers and 11 people on the ground in the Scottish town of Lockerbie.

Lawyers at the appeal proceedings have described al-Megrahi's conviction as a miscarriage of justice as it was based on "wholly circumstantial evidence." (dpa)