Brother of Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi pleads not guilty to murder charges

The brother of the bomber who killed 22 people at Manchester Arena has denied playing a role in the terror attack.
By Susie Beever
Published 22nd Oct 2019, 15:17 BST

Hashem Abedi, younger brother of bomber Salman Abedi, entered not guilty pleas at the Old Bailey in London on Tuesday.

22 people were killed and 260 more injured when Salman Abedi, 22, detonated the bomb at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester on May 22, 2017.

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Abedi's younger brother Hashem Abedi, now also 22, appeared in court before senior judge Mr Justice Baker for a plea hearing on Tuesday.

Hashem Abedi, younger brother of Manchester bomber Salman Abedi. Picture: PA WireHashem Abedi, younger brother of Manchester bomber Salman Abedi. Picture: PA Wire
Hashem Abedi, younger brother of Manchester bomber Salman Abedi. Picture: PA Wire

The softly spoken defendant wore spectacles, a grey sweatshirt and burgundy T-shirt in the dock of court two.

It took six minutes for all the charges to be read out in court and for Abedi to enter not guilty pleas to each one in turn.

Abedi denied 22 counts of murder - one for each of the attack's victims.

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Those killed in the attack included children, many of whom were from Yorkshire.

Flowers laid in Manchester city centre following the terror attack in May 2017. Picture: PAFlowers laid in Manchester city centre following the terror attack in May 2017. Picture: PA
Flowers laid in Manchester city centre following the terror attack in May 2017. Picture: PA

Sorrel Leczkowski, 14, was from Adel in Leeds, while Wendy Fawell, 50, was from Otley.

York couple Marcin and Angelika Klis, 42 and 39 respectively, were killed, alongside Sheffield woman Kelly Brewster, 32, who was shielding her niece from the blast.

Also killed were Elaine McIver, 43, Saffie Roussos, eight, Eilidh MacLeod, 14, Nell Jones, 14, Olivia Campbell-Hardy, 15, Megan Hurley, 15, Georgina Callander, 18, Chloe Rutherford,17, Liam Curry, 19, Courtney Boyle, 19, Philip Tron, 32, John Atkinson, 26, Martyn Hett, 29, Michelle Kiss, 45, Alison Howe, 45, Lisa Lees, 43, and Jane Tweddle, 51.

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A trial which was due to start next month has now been delayed until the New Year.

14-year-old Sorrell Leczkowski from Adel, Leeds, was one of the young victims killed in the terror attack14-year-old Sorrell Leczkowski from Adel, Leeds, was one of the young victims killed in the terror attack
14-year-old Sorrell Leczkowski from Adel, Leeds, was one of the young victims killed in the terror attack

Abedi also faces a single count of attempted murder for all the other victims and conspiring with his brother to cause explosions.

During the hearing, the judge put off the trial from November 11 to January 13.

The case is expected to go on for up to eight weeks.

The defendant allegedly made successful and unsuccessful attempts to buy bomb-making chemicals.

It is claimed he helped in buying a Nissan Micra to store device components and he made detonator tubes for use in the explosive.

The defendant was remanded into custody at top security HMP Belmarsh.