Manchester Arena Bomber's Brother 'Laughs In The Face Of Inquiry' After Fleeing To Middle East

On 22 May 2017, 22 people were killed after suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated a device in the foyer of Manchester Arena moments after an Ariana Grande concert. His younger brother Hashem was later jailed for a minimum of 55 years for helping him with the bomb.

A lawyer at the Manchester Arena bombing inquiry has said the older brother of the bomber "has been able to flee and effectively laugh in the face of the inquiry" after he fled the country.

Ismail Abedi, 28, has refused to answer questions from the inquiry, which is investigating every aspect of the 2017 bombing, in case he incriminates himself.

Chairman, Sir John Saunders, had demanded he appear as a witness on Thursday, 21 October.

Salman Abedi (circled) is seen entering the Manchester Arena foyer moments before the bombing

© Photo : Manchester Arena Inquiry

But earlier this week it emerged Ismail Abedi, who was originally from Libya, had left the UK ahead on 29 August and had not returned.

Paul Greaney QC, counsel to the inquiry, said: "No-one should think the story is over so far as Ismail Abedi is concerned.”

Mr Greaney said a letter to the inquiry from Ismail Abedi’s lawyers was a "self-serving and frankly quite disgraceful statement.”

The inquiry court was told Ismail Abedi tried to leave the UK on 28 August but missed his flight after being detained by police. But the following day he returned and flew to an undisclosed location, believed to be in the Middle East.

The parents of bomb victims Liam Curry and Chloe Rutherford said they were "incredibly frustrated" at how Ismail Abedi had managed to leave the country.

Caroline Curry and Mark and Lisa Rutherford said: "Learning that he was allowed to leave the country by Greater Manchester Police is very difficult to accept, especially with such an important witness, who is in a unique position to provide evidence that would hopefully lead to lessons being learnt about his brother's radicalisation. Answers are urgently needed so that we can understand how this was allowed to happen."