Manchester attack witness ‘fobbed off ’ by security guard

Concerns were raised minutes before the 2017 Ariana Grande concert bombing that killed 22

THE Manchester Arena bomber was asked “what have you got in your rucksack?” by a witness who felt “fobbed off” by security after he raised concerns about the suspicious activity minutes before the explosion, an inquiry has heard.

Yesterday marked the opening day of the six-month inquiry into the Manchester Arena attack when brothers Salman and Hashem Abedi killed 22 people attending an Ariana Grande concert.

Sir John Saunders, the inquiry chairman, heard how four witnesses noticed suicide bomber Salman Abedi acting “suspiciously” on the evening of May 22 2017 after he entered the Arena foyer at 20:51 – more than 90 minutes before he detonated his bomb.

“Evidence shows that at least once, and possibly on two occasions, someone drew attention to Salman Abedi acting suspiciously,” Paul Greaney QC, counsel to the inquiry, told the court.

One father, who was waiting with his wife for their daughter to leave the concert, reported Abedi to Showsec security guards after challenging the attacker on what was in his bag.

CCTV images played in court show Abedi bent over and struggling with the weight of his bag, which was carrying a bomb containing more than 6,000 metal screws and steel nuts.

The parents, known only as Witness A and Witness B, noticed Abedi “sitting on the floor” in the mezzanine area of the Arena with a large rucksack.

Witness A “thought the man looked out of place”, prompting him to approach Abedi and ask him what he had in his bag.

“Witness A said ‘it doesn’t look very good, you know, what you see with bombs and such, and you with a rucksack like this in a place like this, what are you doing?’,” Mr Greaney QC told the inquiry.

Abedi said he was waiting for a friend before asking for the time.

Witness A reported him to a Showsec security guard, Mohammed Agha, but felt “fobbed off” because he did not seem interested, the court heard.

In a separate incident, Julie Merchant, a private security employee, pointed out Abedi to a British Transport Police officer 32 minutes before he detonated the device after her colleague saw him praying, with a large backpack by his side.

A former member of the Armed Forces also raised concern about Abedi’s presence in the foyer, telling security

‘At least once, and possibly on two occasions, someone drew attention to Salman Abedi acting suspiciously’

staff: “I am ex-military and he should not be here”.

The court heard how one of the security guards who was monitoring Abedi following the reports of suspicious behaviour, “froze” as the attacker walked toward the young children and families pouring out of the concert hall.

“I just froze and didn’t get anything out on the radio. I knew at that point it was too late,” he said in a police statement. Abedi detonated his bomb seconds later.

In a report for the inquiry, security experts concluded that “there was enough time” to acknowledge Abedi’s threat and contact emergency services to clear the room and divert the crowds in another direction.

The court was also shown CCTV footage of Abedi carrying out “hostile reconnaissance” of the Arena on two occasions in the days leading up to the attack.

The inquiry is expected to run until Spring 2021.