Battle to bring Manchester bomb brother to UK for trial

BRITAIN last night formally requested the extradition of the brother of Manchester suicide bomber Salman Abedi – setting the stage for a battle with the Libyan authorities.

Police were granted an arrest warrant for 20-year-old Hashem Abedi on 22 counts of murder over the terror attack, which also left more than 250 people injured.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd agreed to request his extradition from Libya.

Hashem is also suspected of attempted murder as well as conspiracy to cause an explosion. But the prospects of him standing trial in the UK for helping his older brother plan the attack depend on sensitive dealings with a Libyan militia which is holding him.

Hashem, above inset, is being held in a prison in the capital Tripoli by the Special Deterrence Force (SDF), a unit that tackles terrorism and crime which aims to prosecute him.

While the Government insists an extradition treaty with Libya is in place, there are doubts ove r whether it will be honoured due to the country’s instability. However, in a potentially significant move it has now emerged that a Home Office official responsible for extradition requests met with the acting Libyan Attorney General in Rome last month to discuss judicial cooperation.

Last night Greater Manchester Police Assistant Chief Constable Russ Jackson said: ‘We must absolutely respect the Libyan process now.’ He said the police’s aim was to see Hashem face justice in a British court.

Salman, below inset, and Hashem Abedi were both born in Manchester but travelled to Libya together on April 15 before Salman, 22, returned to carry out the attack.

Salman killed 22 people – seven of them children – when he detonated a home-made device as crowds left an Ariana Grande concert on May 22.