JURIST - Paper Chase: Bush's lifting of sanctions against Libya releases aid for Pan Am 103 families

President Bush signed an executive order lifting sanctions against Libya Monday as a reward for its agreement to dismantle its weapons programs. Bush had already lifted minor sanctions against the country earlier this month. The lifting of the sanctions is expected to trigger the release of more than $1 billion to the families of the Pan Am 103 victims which Libya had threatened to cancel if the sanctions were not lifted.

Bush also lifted a freeze on $1.3 billion in assets in which Libya has an interest and eliminated a prohibition on direct, scheduled US air service to Libya. Bush did not remove sanctions related to Libya's presence on the US list of state sponsors of terror. Read the timeline of sanctions against Libya here. Read the executive order here. Read the statement by White House press secretary Scott McClellan here. AP has more.

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