Jailed Hashem Abedi admits involvement in Manchester Arena bombing for first time
Jailed terrorist Hashem Abedi has for the first time admitted his involvement in planning the Manchester Arena bombing that killed 22 people, a public inquiry has heard.
Abedi, 23, made the admission in prison while he was visited by two members of the inquiry’s legal team.
It emerged on Monday that Abedi admitted he played “a full and knowing part” during the interview in prison on 22 October.
Earlier this year, Abedi was jailed for a minimum of 55 years for the murders of 22 people in the bombing after helping his elder sibling Salman plan the attack.
Watch: Timeline of how two brothers spent four months planning bombing
Salman Abedi, who was 22, detonated the suicide bomb in the foyer of the arena on 22 May, 2017, as thousands of people left a concert by pop star Ariana Grande.
Hashem Abedi was handed a record-length sentence for his role in the attack, which also injured hundreds of other people.
The Abedi brothers, from Fallowfield in south Manchester, spent months ordering, stockpiling and transporting the deadly materials for the terror attack, using multiple mobile phones, addresses and runaround vehicles to make their bomb.
Hashem Abedi pleaded not guilty to 22 counts of murder, attempted murder and plotting to cause an explosion likely to endanger life.
He did not give evidence at the Old Bailey but provided a pre-prepared defence statement in which he denied involvement, claimed to have been “shocked” by what his brother had done and said he did not hold extremist views.
He went on to be convicted by a jury of all the offences in March before he was jailed in August.
The court heard he was “just as guilty” of the bomb plot as his brother. The siblings were described as “cowardly” and “calculating murderers” who tried to divide society.
At the inquiry on Monday, Abedi’s admission was confirmed by Det Ch Supt Simon Barraclough, of Greater Manchester Police, who was the senior investigating officer in the attack probe.
Paul Greaney, counsel to the inquiry, said to him: “You are aware, on 22 October this year, in prison serving his sentence, Hashem Abedi was interviewed by members of the inquiry legal team?”
Barraclough said: “Yes, I am.
Greaney said: “This will be news to others.
“You are aware, on 22 October, during the course of that interview, Hashem Abedi admitted he had played a full part and a knowing part in the planning and preparation for the arena attack?”
Watch: Families hail justice for victims of Manchester Arena atrocity after Abedi sentencing
Barraclough replied: “Yes, I think that’s a fair summary.”
The detective added that there is “no doubt in my mind” that the prosecution of Abedi was “entirely well founded”.
Greaney said: “So the point you are making is that it didn’t need him to tell you that you had got it right?”
Barraclough responded: “I think we had got there with the trial.”
No other details of the prison interview were given.
The 22 people who were killed were: Elaine McIver, 43; Saffie Roussos, eight; Sorrell Leczkowski, 14; Eilidh MacLeod, 14; Nell Jones, 14; Olivia Campbell-Hardy, 15; Megan Hurley, 15; Georgina Callander, 18; Chloe Rutherford, 17; Liam Curry, 19; Courtney Boyle, 19; Philip Tron, 32; John Atkinson, 28; Martyn Hett, 29; Kelly Brewster, 32; Angelika Klis, 39; Marcin Klis, 42; Michelle Kiss, 45; Alison Howe, 44; Lisa Lees, 43; Wendy Fawell, 50; and Jane Tweddle, 51.
