Hashem Abedi, brother and co-conspirator of the 2017 Manchester Arena bomber has been charged with three counts of attempted murder and one of assault. His targets were four prison officers, at the institution where he is incarcerated for his role in the suicide attack at a performance by U.S. singer Ariana Grande.
Following the violence at a high-security prison on April 11th this year, questions were asked about Abedi’s access to cutlery and hot cooking oils, which it’s alleged were used to injure some of his jailers. Subsequently, the Ministry of Justice promised a full and independent review into the incident—amid the anger of survivors and bereaved relatives from the bombing itself.
Evidence compiled by Counter Terrorism Policing North East, Durham Constabulary, and the prison authorities has now been submitted to Westminster Magistrates’ Court, where Abedi will appear on September 18th. He will also be charged over his illicit possession of a knife.
The Frankland Prison assault—which hospitalised three prison officers with serious injuries—posed major questions about UK prison security. Controversy intensified the following month, after Southport triple murderer Axel Rudakubana reportedly attacked prison officers with boiling water prepared using a kettle in his cell.
