Manchester bomber was ‘radicalised in the UK’ says Libya
Manchester bomber Salman Abedi was radicalised while living in the UK two years before his deadly attack, Libyan authorities said.
Abedi’s brother Hashim, who was arrested in Tripoli in the wake of the attack at a concert, knew the 22-year-old was planning something, counterterrorism official Ahmed bin Salem said.
Hashim, aged 20, said Abedi became radicalised while living in Manchester in 2015, Mr bin Salem said.
The British-born extremist of Libyan descent killed 22 people when he detonated the device as concert-goers began leaving a show by US singer Ariana Grande in Manchester Arena.
Abedi’s father Ramadan was also arrested in Libya two days after the attack. Both Hashim and Ram-
adan are still being held for questioning. Hashim reportedly told Libyan officials that Abedi bought materials with which to carry out the atrocity in Britain.
The inquests into the deaths of the victims, who include seven children, are due to begin today.
They will be opened at Manchester Civil Justice Centre. The hearings are expected to be adjourned, pending the completion of the police investigation. An inquest into Abedi’s death will be opened at a later date.
On Tuesday, an 18-year-old man, understood to be Abedi’s cousin, and two other men were freed from police custody.
Abedi’s older brother, Ismail, 23, was released on Monday, while other cousins, Isaac Forjani, 24, and Abz Forjani, 21, both from Fallowfield, Manchester were among those freed last week.