Hashem Abedi: Manchester bomber’s brother ‘would have told mother had he known of plot’
Written by News on 08/02/2020
The brother of the Manchester Arena bomber says he would have told his mother had he known of the terror plot.
Hashem Abedi was “shocked” when his older sibling Salman set off a device in May 2017, killing 22 people as they left an Ariana Grande concert, the Old Bailey heard.
He “felt bad for everybody” and did not think his brother “had it in him”.
Hashem, who was arrested in Libya the day after the atrocity, denies murder, attempted murder and conspiring with his brother to cause explosions.
But the former electrical installation student has accepted he asked various individuals to buy sulphuric acid – a key ingredient for explosives – on behalf of his brother, who told him that “companies have a maximum limit they can sell”.
After declining to answer detectives’ questions, Hashem made a statement instead, which was read to the court by prosecutor Duncan Penny QC.
He said: “I deny any involvement in the terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena on May 22 2017. I was not involved in the instigation, preparation or commission of it.
“Had I had any idea of it I would have reported it to my mother initially and then to other family members to prevent it from happening.
“I was shocked my brother had done this and felt bad for everybody. I could never have envisaged that my brother had it in him to do this to innocent people.”
Hashem has described himself as a practising Muslim who does not hold extremist views and does not support Islamic State.
He was “held in Libya by the militia and subjected to torture”, he said.
The court heard previously that the brothers allegedly used an empty house to take delivery of chemicals ordered on Amazon using others’ bank details and fake emails.
On Friday, jurors were also taken through Salman Abedi’s final movements on Friday, including the seconds before he detonated the bomb.
The trial, which is expected to last eight weeks, continues.
(c) Sky News 2020: Hashem Abedi: Manchester bomber’s brother ‘would have told mother had he known of plot’
