I’m a man of my word, convicted terrorist tells Arena blast inquiry
BUT HE WON’T GIVE EVIDENCE UNTIL HE’S
A CONVICTED terrorist recruiter suspected by an expert in radicalisation of grooming Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi has said he will assist the public inquiry into the atrocity and give evidence, if he’s ‘treated fairly.’
Abdalraouf Abdallah, 27, said he was ‘here for the families’ and described himself as ‘a man of my word’ as he appeared yesterday at the inquiry into the 2017 terror bombing.
Abdallah, who was paralysed from the waist down after being injured in 2011 during the Libya uprising, spoke from a wheelchair in the witness stand in court surrounded by prison officers.
He was scheduled to give evidence – but his legal team successfully applied for an adjournment, saying they had not received disclosure of certain elements of evidence contained in the report from the inquiry-appointed expert witness, who says Abdallah groomed Abedi into a ‘violent Islamist extremist worldview.’
Abedi, who murdered 22 people and injured hundreds more after detonating a backpack device at the Arena after an Ariana Grande concert on May 22, 2017, visited Abdallah in prison in February 2015 while he was awaiting trial, and once again after he was jailed in January 2017, four months before the bombing, the inquiry has heard.
Abdallah is also said to have used an ‘illicit’ mobile phone while he was in prison in early 2017 to attempt to call Abedi, but has insisted he had nothing to do with the attack or radicalising the bomber.
A legal notice was served on him in July requiring him under law to attend the inquiry to give evidence.
But after submissions following the application from his legal team, he will now give evidence on November 25.
Inquiry chairman Sir John Saunders asked him: “Is it your present intention to co-operate with the inquiry subject to your right, of course, not to answer questions if they would incriminate you? But that has to be a genuine reason. Is it your intention to co-operate with the inquiry?”
Mr Abdallah replied: “If I’m treated fairly...that’s what I mean.
“If I’m treated fairly...because to be honest it doesn’t feel like it’s an inquiry to me.
“I need time with my lawyers to be advised and then we will go ahead, of course.”
Sir John said he would ensure all the evidence relevant would be disclosed to his legal team.
“I am a man of my word,” Abdallah responded.
Sir John told Abdallah, who was born in Manchester to Libyan parents, that he would be treated fairly.
“I’m trying to find the truth of what happened and what led to Salman Abedi killing 22 people in a bomb attack,” Sir John said.
Abdallah replied: “I am here for the families. My sympathy goes for them as well”.
The inquiry continues today.