Manchester bomber’s parents among six sought for questioning over terror attack

Abedi’s father, Ramadan Abedi, and mother, Samia Tabbal, are among four suspects, while police want to trace and eliminate two other people from their investigation.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) had sought to restrict the information being released during the ongoing public inquiry into the May 2017 terror attack but the application was successfully opposed by various media organisations and supported by many bereaved families.

Inquiry chairman Sir John Saunders decided the information would not give rise to a risk of prejudice to future criminal investigations, as GMP had argued.

Earlier this year, Abedi’s brother, Hashem, was jailed for a minimum of 55 years for the murders of 22 people in the bombing after he helped his older sibling plan the attack.

Five people from the North East were among those who died in the atrocity.

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.

Ramadan Abedi is wanted for questioning after his fingerprints were found inside a Nissan Micra car which the brothers used to store explosives, while police want to quiz Samia Tabbal in relation to comments made by two other people.

Both flew from the UK to Libya in April 2017 and have not returned since.

The two other named suspects, Mohammed Soliman and Elyas Elmehdi, are also out of the country.

During Hashem Abedi’s trial it emerged that Soliman was a friend of the Abedi brothers, who was approached by them to buy chemicals on their behalf.

The Nissan Micra, which Salman Abedi returned to collect materials shortly before the bombing, was parked outside Elmehdi’s then-address in Rusholme, Manchester.

Elmehdi was previously questioned by police but later released and has now reportedly fled to Libya after being convicted in his absence of serious drugs offences.

Further evidence has emerged to connect him to the Micra and is said to contradict what he said when interviewed.

Police also want to trace Majdi Alamari, who is in Libya, and Anas Abuhdaima, whose wherabouts in the UK are unknown.

You can subscribe to this website and enjoy unlimited access to local news, information and puzzles online.

With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content.

Simply click ‘Subscribe’ in the menu.