LONDON, August 28, 2009 (AFP) - Many Britons suspect the release of the Lockerbie bomber last week was connected to Britain's oil interests in Libya, an opinion poll released Friday said.

Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi was released from a Scottish prison on compassionate grounds and returned to his home in Libya, sparking anger from the US administration and US relatives of the victims.

Megrahi, who is dying of prostate cancer, was the only person convicted of the 1988 plane bombing over the Scottish town of Lockerbie which killed 270 people. Most of the victims of the attack were American.

The Scottish government has insisted the decision to release Megrahi was based solely on compassionate grounds amid allegations it was part of a British deal to secure trade and other concessions from oil-rich Libya.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he was "angry" and "repulsed" at the hero's welcome given to Megrahi in Libya, but declined to say directly whether he agreed with Scotland's decision to release him.

The poll for The Times newspaper showed widespread public suspicion about the release as well as criticism of Brown's handling of the issue.

Forty five percent of Britons thought the release had more to do with oil than Megrahi's terminal illness, while 24 percent disagreed.

Sixty one percent of those polled disagreed with the decision to return Megrahi to Libya, with 27 percent agreeing.

On the issue of the handling of the controversy, 56 percent said Brown dealt badly with it, compared with 23 percent who said he had done well.

Most thought the Scottish administration and its justice secretary had also badly handled the matter.

Brown remained silent on the issue for five days despite the furore over the release, saying it was a matter for the devolved Scottish government.

The Populus poll interviewed 515 Britons over the telephone on Wednesday.