Brother of Manchester Arena bomber appears in court to face 22 murder charges

The younger brother of the Manchester Arena bomber has appeared at the Old Bailey to face multiple charges of murder.
Debra Fox
By Debra Fox
Published 10th Oct 2019, 07:59 BST
Updated 10th Oct 2019, 14:40 BST
Hashem Abedi, the brother of Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi, as he is due to appear at the Old Bailey to enter pleas to multiple charges of murder. Picture: PA.Hashem Abedi, the brother of Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi, as he is due to appear at the Old Bailey to enter pleas to multiple charges of murder. Picture: PA.
Hashem Abedi, the brother of Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi, as he is due to appear at the Old Bailey to enter pleas to multiple charges of murder. Picture: PA.

On May 22 2017, Salman Abedi, 22, detonated a suicide vest as music fans left an Ariana Grande concert, killing 22 people and injuring 260 others.

His sibling, Hashem Abedi, who was raised in Manchester, travelled to Libya before the attack.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Five people from the North East were among those who lost their lives. They were; Chloe Rutherford, 17, and boyfriend Liam Curry, 19, from South Shields; Hartlepool-born Jane Tweddle, 51; and Philip Tron, 32, and his partner’s daughter Courtney Boyle, 19, from Gateshead.

Top row, left to right, off-duty police officer Elaine McIver, 43, Saffie Roussos, 8, Sorrell Leczkowski, 14, Eilidh MacLeod, 14. Second row, left to right, Nell Jones, 14, Olivia Campbell-Hardy, 15, Megan Hurley, 15, Georgina Callander, 18,. Third row, left to right, Chloe Rutherford,17, Liam Curry, 19, Courtney Boyle, 19, and Philip Tron, 32. Fourth row, left to right, John Atkinson, 26, Martyn Hett, 29, Kelly Brewster, 32, Angelika Klis, 39. Fifth row, left to right, Marcin Klis, 42, Michelle Kiss, 45, Alison Howe, 45, and Lisa Lees, 43. Sixth row, left to right, Wendy Fawell, 50 and Jane Tweddle, 51.Top row, left to right, off-duty police officer Elaine McIver, 43, Saffie Roussos, 8, Sorrell Leczkowski, 14, Eilidh MacLeod, 14. Second row, left to right, Nell Jones, 14, Olivia Campbell-Hardy, 15, Megan Hurley, 15, Georgina Callander, 18,. Third row, left to right, Chloe Rutherford,17, Liam Curry, 19, Courtney Boyle, 19, and Philip Tron, 32. Fourth row, left to right, John Atkinson, 26, Martyn Hett, 29, Kelly Brewster, 32, Angelika Klis, 39. Fifth row, left to right, Marcin Klis, 42, Michelle Kiss, 45, Alison Howe, 45, and Lisa Lees, 43. Sixth row, left to right, Wendy Fawell, 50 and Jane Tweddle, 51.
Top row, left to right, off-duty police officer Elaine McIver, 43, Saffie Roussos, 8, Sorrell Leczkowski, 14, Eilidh MacLeod, 14. Second row, left to right, Nell Jones, 14, Olivia Campbell-Hardy, 15, Megan Hurley, 15, Georgina Callander, 18,. Third row, left to right, Chloe Rutherford,17, Liam Curry, 19, Courtney Boyle, 19, and Philip Tron, 32. Fourth row, left to right, John Atkinson, 26, Martyn Hett, 29, Kelly Brewster, 32, Angelika Klis, 39. Fifth row, left to right, Marcin Klis, 42, Michelle Kiss, 45, Alison Howe, 45, and Lisa Lees, 43. Sixth row, left to right, Wendy Fawell, 50 and Jane Tweddle, 51.

The defendant, now aged 22, was arrested in Tripoli and was extradited to the UK in July.

It is claimed he made successful and unsuccessful attempts to buy bomb-making chemicals.

He also allegedly helped in the purchase of a Nissan Micra to store device components and made detonator tubes for use in the explosive.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

On Thursday, Abedi appeared in the dock of Court 2 at the Old Bailey for a plea and trial preparation hearing before senior judge Mr Justice Baker.

The defendant was not asked to enter pleas to the charges and the hearing was adjourned to Tuesday, October 22.

Abedi is charged with 22 counts of murder - one for each person killed in the attack.

He also faces a single count of attempted murder for all the other victims, and conspiring with his brother to cause explosions.

The defendant, who is in custody, is due to face trial at the Old Bailey from Monday, November 11.