EDINBURGH, Scotland — Scottish legislators gathered today for an emergency meeting on the government's decision to release the Lockerbie bomber as critics claimed the act could severely damage relations with the United States.

The government of First Minister Alex Salmond has faced unrelenting criticism from the both the U.S. government and the families of American bombing victims for freeing Abdel Baset al-Megrahi.

The Libyan — the only man convicted of killing 270 people in the 1988 airline bombing — was released last week on compassionate grounds because he is terminally ill with prostate cancer. He has returned to his native Libya.

In a strongly worded letter to the Scottish government, FBI Director Robert Mueller said al-Megrahi's release gave comfort to terrorists, while Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said releasing the bomber was "obviously a political decision."

Lawmakers want to question Salmond's minority government about the decision, with some calling for Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill to resign. MacAskill has said the decision was his alone, followed all the correct procedures under Scottish law and was not influenced by political considerations.

Some Scottish lawmakers want to distance themselves from the decision by Scotland's nationalist administration, which advocates full independence from Britain.

"Today is about showing the world that Kenny MacAskill did not speak for Scotland in making this decision," said Richard Baker, the Labour Party's Scottish justice spokesman.

However, former Scottish First Minister Henry McLeish slammed Mueller's criticism as "wholly wrong" and said the FBI chief should keep his thoughts to himself.

McLeish also disputed the notion that the Lockerbie bomber's release would poison relations with the United States. Web sites have been set up in the U.S. calling for a boycott of Scottish goods and visits to the country.

On Sunday, Salmond said it was wrong to assume that all those affected by the bombing were opposed to al-Megrahi's release.

Salmond told the BBC. "A number of the families, particularly in the U.K., take a different view and think that we made the right decision."