LONDON- On Tuesday, a court hearing suggested that the brother of the suicide bomber from the Manchester Ariana Grande concert from three years ago was as guilty as him for the murder of 22 victims.
22-year-old Briton of Libyan origin Salman Abedi detonated a bomb off in Manchester Arena at the closing of Ariana Grande’s concert in May 2017. Of the 22 victims, seven of them were children, the youngest aged eight.
The bomber’s brother 22-year-old Hashem Abedi, went on trial for aiding his brother to conduct the bombing. Hashem denies involvement in the attack- for charges of murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to cause an explosion.
Prosecutor Duncan Penny said that Hashem shares responsibility for the atrocities and the offences as much as the bomber.
Hashem helped his brother to source ingredients to make the homemade bomb and both of them together experimented with its construction, purchasing nails and screws to be used as shrapnel.
The device was made and stored in another Manchester address and before returning back home to Libya in mid-April 2017, the duo purchased a car to store the equipment used in the bomb-making process.
Hashem Abedi was heard asking if he could take home cans of vegetable oil from the shop where he worked saying he wanted to use the metal for scrap only to eventually use it for creating the bomb. The can’s metal was found at the site of the bombing.
The explosion of the result of several months of planning, experimenting and preparing between the two brothers. The bomb was detonated designed to kill and maim as many individuals as possible.
264 people were injured and 22 were killed. 670 people have reported psychological trauma attributed to the incident.
Islamic State claimed responsibility for the bombing but this claim was treated with scepticism by security services.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field.