Ariana bomb brother faces extradition ‘within weeks’

THE brother of Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi could be extradited to face justice in the UK by the end of the year, Libya’s prime minister claimed last night.

Hashem Abedi, 21, was arrested in the North African country shortly after the suicide attack which killed 22 at an Ariana Grande concert in May last year.

It is thought he is being held in the capital, Tripoli, by militia forces and has confessed to his part in the atrocity.

Police in Manchester believe they have enough evidence to charge Hashem with murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to cause an explosion, and want him to stand trial in Britain.

Yesterday Fayez al-Sarraj, Libya’s prime minister, said his country was ‘fully co-operating’ with Britain and that they believed Hashem could be extradited within weeks.

He told the BBC: ‘I think from here to the end of this year we will finish all the legal procedures in Libya.’

Mr al-Sarraj denied that Libya had caused delays to the extradition, formally requested more than a year ago.

However, Elkan Abrahamson, a solicitor representing the family of eight-year-old Saffie-Rose Roussos, the youngest victim of the atrocity, said the situation in Libya was chaotic and it remained unclear exactly what power Mr al-Sarraj would have when it comes to Hashem’s extradition.

Mr Abrahamson, of lawyers Broudie Jackson Canter, added: ‘Unfortunately, we can’t rely on what al-Sarraj or the British Government have to say on this.’

Both Abedis, who were born in Britain to Libyan migrants, travelled to Libya in the weeks before the atrocity. Security officials in the country have said the pair joined Islamic State in 2015.

Salman returned alone, blowing himself up in the venue foyer. But Hashem is also thought to have played a key role – including helping buy materials for the homemade bomb.

It is also alleged he was in a cell linked to suicide plots to kill Peter Millett, the UK’s former Libya envoy, former UN envoy Martin Kobler and Mr al-Sarraj.

In August a spokesman for the Special Deterrence Force unit which is holding Hashem told the Mail they would be willing to release him if asked by the Libyan government to do so.

Along with the 22 who died in the Manchester bombing, 112 were injured, including 64 seriously.

Greater Manchester Police said it could not provide any further detail on the ongoing extradition request and that it was grateful to Libya for considering it. The Home Office declined to comment.

‘Confessed to his part in atrocity’