WASHINGTON (AP):

President Barack Obama said the Libyan convicted in the Pan Am 103 bombing and freed yesterday by Scottish authorities must not receive a hero's welcome in Libya and should be placed under house arrest.

Obama said his administration conveyed its objections to the Scots, who announced that Abdel Baset al-Megrahi was being released because he is terminally ill and should be permitted to die in his home country.

"We have been in contact with the Scottish government indicating that we objected to this," Obama said in an interview from the White House with Philadel-phia-based radio talk show host Michael Smerconish.

"And we thought it was a mistake," Obama added.

"We're now in contact with the Libyan government and want to make sure that if, in fact, this transfer has taken place that he's not welcomed back in some way but instead should be under house arrest."

Al-Megrahi, 57, left Scotland's Greenock Prison and flew to Libya on an Airbus jet sent to Glasgow Airport. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley elaborated on the point about al-Megrahi's reception in Libya.