Campaigners made it clear they would continue to appeal against Abdelbaset al-Megrahi's conviction despite his death.

Megrahi abandoned his appeal shortly before his release on compassionate grounds, despite the fact that he was under no legal compulsion to do so.

Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has officially denied claims in a book co-authored by Megrahi and journalist John Ashton that he urged the Libyan to drop the appeal to smooth the way for his compassionate release.

In the book, Megrahi claimed he was passed a message by Mr MacAskill that "it would be easier to grant compassionate release if I dropped my appeal".

Campaigner Jim Swire recently told MSPs that the victims' families could push for the appeal to be reopened after Megrahi's death.

Speaking in February, Dr Swire said: "The professional advice that I have received is that it would be perfectly possible for other individuals affected by the case to approach the SCCRC (Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission) to request that a further appeal be granted.

"In that event, I understand that number one in the pecking order, as it were, would be Megrahi's family, to whom I have spoken.

"In the event that they did not wish to pursue an appeal, it would perhaps fall to other people affected by the case such as me, unfortunately, and those who support what we have been trying to do, to do so."

Justice For Megrahi secretary Robert Forrester said the Libyan's eldest daughter Gadha, who studied law in Scotland, has often signalled her intention to push for the appeal to be reopened after her father`s death.

In the event that she declines, Mr Forrester said Dr Swire and other sceptical families would be likely to do so. However, he accused the SNP administration at Holyrood of actively obstructing efforts to shed light on the Lockerbie affair.

He said: "The Crown and successive governments have, for years, acted to obstruct any attempts to investigate how the conviction of Mr al-Megrahi came about.

"Some in the legal and political establishments may well be breathing a sigh of relief now that Mr al-Megrahi has died. This would be a mistake.

"Many unfortunates who fell foul of outrageous miscarriages of justice in the past have had their names cleared posthumously."

He added: "Historically, all the major parties, both in Holyrood and Westminster, must shoulder equal responsibility.

"However, since first coming to power in 2007, the SNP government has actively taken measures which hinder any progress towards lifting the fog that lies over events, much to the dismay of its own party supporters and activists who take an interest in the case.

"In 2009, a statutory instrument which was supposed to remove the legislative prohibition on publication of the SCCRC's statement of reasons for the second appeal was so drafted as to render publication effectively impossible.

"In 2010, the government also fired new legislation through parliament that makes any prospect of opening another appeal in the interests of justice a forlorn hope."