Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
YOU COWARD
Arena bomber’s brother shamed for fleeing Britain
THE older brother of the Manchester Arena bomber has been branded a “coward” for fleeing the country.
Ismail Abedi, 28, was due to give evidence yesterday at the public inquiry into the atrocity.
But he left the UK in August, despite being stopped by police at an airport 24 hours earlier, and has failed to return.
The terror attack, carried out in 2017 by his brother Salman with the help of another brother Hashem, killed 22 innocent people.
Families of victims said yesterday: “A man who had genuinely rejected extremism would want to help the search for truth and would have been here today. Ismail Abedi is clearly not such a person but has taken the coward’s way out.
“His absence speaks volumes. We want to put on record our horror [he] could be allowed to leave the country in the face of an upcoming appearance at a statutory inquiry, which he had been ordered to attend.”
Ismail was at Manchester Airport on August 28 when he was stopped by police under the Terrorism Act.
But the hearing was told officers felt they had no powers to hold him and he flew abroad from the city the next day. It was five weeks after he had been given a summons to attend the inquiry yesterday. Greater Manchester Police have declined to comment.
The hearing was told that a letter from Ismail’s lawyers made it clear his absence is “entirely deliberate”.
Paul Greaney QC, counsel to the inquiry, said Ismail “has been able to flee and laugh in the face of the inquiry”.
Ismail was arrested shortly after the bombing but was released without charge. He has denied involvement in the attack or any knowledge of it.
Islamist extremist Salman, 22, killed himself when he detonated the home-made device after an Ariana Grande concert.
Hashem Abedi, 24, helped build the bomb, and is serving at least 55 years after being convicted last year of offences including 22 counts of murder.
The brothers are from Fallowfield, Manchester. Their parents are believed to now be in Libya.
Salman Abedi’s friend, Ahmed Taghdi, 29, has denied trying to flee Britain after being ordered to give evidence.
Mr Taghdi was arrested at Manchester Airport on Saturday, but said he was going on holiday and intended to return.
He told the hearing he was “appalled” by the attack. The inquiry at Manchester magistrates court continues.
We are horrified he could be allowed to leave the country VICTIMS’ FAMILIES IN STATEMENT YESTERDAY