Hashem Abedi, the brother of the deceased Manchester Arena bomber, has admitted that he helped plan the attack that killed 23 people and injured hundreds more.
23-year-old Hashem, who’s currently imprisoned for his role in the attack, has never before admitted that he was involved in the planning, insisting that his brother Salman acted alone. At trial, he pleaded not guilty to 22 murder charges and plotting to cause an explosion that would endanger life.
Earlier this year, the convicted terrorist was interviewed by a legal team as part of the public inquiry into the devastating bombing. Paul Greaney QC, a lawyer working with the inquiry, said: “On the 22 October, during the course of that interview, Hahem Abedi admitted that he had played a full part, and a knowing part, in the planning and preparation for the Arena attack.”
The inquiry, announced last year by Home Secretary Priti Patel, is hoping to shed additional light on the attack that was not revealed during the trial. The inquiry’s remit is to look into the security arrangements of the arena, the response of the emergency services and whether police could have prevented the attack from taking place.
During his trial at the Old Bailey, Hashem did not testify but instead gave a pre-prepared defence statement in which he claimed he had no knowledge of his brother’s actions and was ‘shocked’ by the attack. He was arrested in Libya the day after the attack and was extradited to the UK to face charges.
After being found guilty, he was sentenced to life with a minimum of 55 years, the highest minimum life term ever handed down in the UK. In sentencing Mr Justice Jeremy Baker said “the stark reality is, these were atrocious crimes. Large in scale, deadly in intent, appalling in their consequences” and told Hashem he may never be released.
