Libya plans to seek the extradition of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi who is serving a life term in Scotland and suffering from terminal cancer, a source close to the case told AFP on Monday.

"Libya and Britain are due to exchange ratified extradition documents at the end of April, and after that Libya will officially submit a request for Abdelbaset Megrahi's extradition," the source said on condition of anonymity, AFP reported.

This would allow Megrahi "to continue his sentence in a Libyan prison, particularly since he is suffering from an advanced stage of cancer and has only a few weeks left to live," the source added.

In May 2007, Libya and Britain signed a protocol agreement on the transfer of prisoners.

Megrahi is serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 27 years after being unjustly convicted of downing a transatlantic US airliner over the Scottish village of Lockerbie in 1988, killing 270 people.

His wife Aisha told AFP in February that he "is in danger of dying" because of his worsening cancer and complained that he had been refused bail.

"His body is not reacting any more to medication because of his bad psychological condition, according to a report by his doctor," she said, adding that she had visited him three times in February alone.

"Hospitals are refusing to admit him because of the exaggerated (police) surveillance involved in transferring him" from prison, she added.