Hashem Abedi

Manchester Arena bombing

Industry	Terrorism incident
Founded	22 May 2017
Headquarters	Manchester , England, United Kingdom
Products	Suicide bombing attack

The Manchester Arena bombing was an act of Islamic extremist suicide bombing that occurred at Manchester Arena, England, on 22 May 2017, immediately after a concert by American pop artist Ariana Grande. The attack was carried out by Salman Abedi, with assistance from his brother Hashem Abedi. It resulted in 22 fatalities, 1,017 injuries, and significant damage to the arena's entrance area. This incident marked the deadliest terrorist attack on UK soil since the 2005 London bombings.

Salman Abedi detonated a homemade explosive device composed of triacetone triperoxide (TATP) and embedded shrapnel. Initial investigations suggested a broader terrorist network; however, authorities later determined that Abedi primarily acted independently, although some individuals were aware of his intentions. In 2020, Hashem Abedi was found guilty of murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy charges, receiving a life imprisonment sentence with a minimum term of 55 years—the longest ever imposed by a British court. A public inquiry in 2021 concluded that law enforcement could have taken more effective measures to avert the attack, and MI5 acknowledged delays in responding to intelligence concerning Abedi.

Following the bombing, Grande temporarily halted her tour and organized the benefit event One Love Manchester on 4 June, which raised £17 million for those affected. The aftermath also saw an increase in Islamophobic hate crimes across Greater Manchester. In response, Prime Minister Theresa May launched the Commission for Countering Extremism.

Motive

According to Abedi’s sister, his actions were motivated by perceived injustices involving Muslim children killed in airstrikes connected to the US intervention in the Syrian civil war. A family acquaintance recalled that Salman vowed retaliation during the funeral of Abdul Wahab Hafidah, a friend who had been killed by a Manchester gang in May 2016. Hashem Abedi later collaborated with Salman in orchestrating the Manchester attack. Police inquiries uncovered the brothers' participation in the Libyan civil war (2014–2020) and their ties to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, including photographs showing them with sons of Abu Anas al-Libi, a high-ranking Al-Qaeda operative in Libya.

The Islamic State (ISIS) claimed responsibility through Telegram on 23 May, labeling the attacker as a "soldier of the Khilafah" targeting 'crusaders' in Manchester. Nonetheless, US intelligence agencies and former FBI agent Ali Soufan questioned ISIS's assertion due to inaccuracies regarding the blast’s location. French Interior Minister Gérard Collomb confirmed that Abedi had established connections with ISIS and may have traveled to Syria.

Greater Manchester Police investigated allegations that an imam at Didsbury Mosque—frequented by Abedi’s family—had called for armed jihad shortly before Abedi purchased his concert ticket. The investigation concluded that no criminal offenses had been committed.

Reconnaissance

German authorities confirmed that Abedi traveled through Düsseldorf Airport while on his way from Istanbul to Manchester, approximately four days prior to the bombing. After a visit to Libya, he arrived back in Manchester on 18 May. Surveillance footage captured multiple instances of Abedi before the attack: on 18 May, he was seen departing from the Shudehill Interchange, briefly engaging with a Manchester Arena staff member, and observing lines and entry points within the City Room. Additionally, he appeared in the City Room on both 21 and 22 May, roughly half an hour after Grande's concert commenced. Throughout these sightings, Abedi was using his mobile phone and did not seem to be carrying any explosive devices.

Building the bomb

Following his return to Manchester, Abedi acquired materials for bomb construction and assembled an acetone peroxide-based device on his own. Members of ISIS's Battar brigade reportedly provided bomb-making training to individuals in Libya. According to The New York Times, the explosive was a carefully assembled improvised explosive device containing metal nuts and screws, indicating it functioned as a nail bomb. Photographs reveal an explosive charge housed within a lightweight metal container, concealed inside either a black vest or a blue Karrimor backpack. The force of the blast propelled Abedi’s upper body through the arena doors, implying that the backpack contained the device. Investigators recovered a corroded 12-volt, 2.1 amp-hour lead acid battery manufactured by GS Yuasa at the scene. A coroner’s inquiry concluded that the bomb had a lethal radius extending up to . US Representative Michael McCaul stated that the explosive included triacetone triperoxide (TATP), a substance commonly used in terrorist attacks.

Bombing

The concert started at approximately 19:35. Between 20:30 and 20:51, Abedi traveled from Shudehill Interchange toward the City Room, entering the men's restroom at Victoria station concourse at 20:36 and leaving at 20:48. He was observed by two British Transport Police (BTP) community support officers along with two Showsec security personnel. Utilizing the concourse lift, he moved toward the City Room. From 20:51 until 21:10, a Showsec staff member briefly spotted him on the City Room mezzanine before Abedi proceeded back toward the tram platform at 21:13. He concealed himself in an area not monitored by arena CCTV cameras. At 21:33, he returned to the City Room and was seen by an anti-illegal recording employee around 22:00, who reported him to a BTP constable; however, the officer later stated no recollection of this report.

Grande’s performance began at 21:00 and concluded just before 22:30. A Libyan official revealed that Abedi communicated with his brother Hashem roughly fifteen minutes prior to the explosion. Although five BTP officers were assigned to patrol Victoria Exchange Complex during this time, only four were present when the bombing occurred; none were stationed in the City Room between 22:00 and 22:31 as two officers were on meal breaks. Showsec anticipated crowd exit and had a supervisor present in the City Room between 22:08 and 22:17; however, this individual did not inspect the mezzanine area or detect Abedi. At 22:12, another member of the public questioned Abedi about his bag due to suspicions it might contain explosives; after receiving no response, they reported it but were informed BTP was already aware of him. A Showsec staff member refrained from approaching Abedi due to concerns over racial profiling; furthermore, heavy radio traffic impeded communication efforts. Concert attendees exited via the City Room, which served as one of four arena exits. At 22:30, Abedi descended from the mezzanine level.

At precisely 22:31 (21:31 UTC), Abedi’s nail bomb weighing over detonated in the City Room. The blast resulted in 23 fatalities including Abedi himself and caused injuries to hundreds.

Casualties

Approximately 14,200 individuals were present at the concert when the explosive device detonated. The incident resulted in the deaths of the attacker along with 22 attendees and parents waiting to collect their children. Initially, reports indicated 119 injured persons; however, police later updated this number to 250, encompassing both serious psychological trauma and minor physical injuries. By May 2018, the injury count was further revised to 800. The public inquiry concluded in December 2020 that a total of 1,017 people had sustained injuries, with a 2019 analysis specifying that 239 of these were physical wounds.

The victims' ages varied widely, from an eight-year-old girl to a woman aged 51. Of the 22 fatalities, twenty were British citizens and two were Polish nationals residing in the UK. Among those killed was Martyn Hett, a 29-year-old whose identity was confirmed solely through a tattoo due to the explosion’s devastating impact; Martyn's Law is named in his memory.

British Transport Police

A police officer transmitted a radio request for additional units at Victoria within one minute of the blast, reporting a loud explosion. Two sergeants near the Peninsula Building rushed toward the arena after hearing the noise; one requested a situation report at 22:33. By 22:34, BTP’s command centre had verified 'at least twenty casualties' and identified the cause as an explosive device. They immediately notified the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) and Greater Manchester Police (GMP). The first emergency responder arrived at 22:34. At 22:39, a BTP constable confirmed that the incident location was the 'ticket office in the arena,' reporting approximately 60 casualties.

Greater Manchester Police

The initial 999 call alerting authorities to the bombing was received at 22:31:52 from an injured witness; a follow-up call at 22:32:40 mistakenly reported gunfire. The force duty officer became aware of the attack at 22:34 and promptly dispatched armed officers who reached Trinity Way by 22:39. Early communications suggested the possibility of fireworks, but by 22:41 reports indicated 'major casualties' and referenced Operation Plato, GMP’s protocol for marauding terrorist incidents (MTA). CCTV footage showed GMP officers entering through Trinity Way and Manchester Victoria station by 22:42. Operation Plato was activated at 22:47, followed by a 'major incident' declaration at 23:04. A controlled detonation took place on a suspicious package in Cathedral Gardens at 01:32.

Ambulance service response

At 22:32, a public emergency call identified the explosion site as being in the foyer area. The North West Ambulance Service deployed sixty ambulances, transported fifty-nine patients to hospitals, and treated numerous others on-site who were ambulatory. Michael Daley, an off-duty consultant anaesthetist, received recognition in the British Medical Journal’s book of valour for his efforts during June 2017. Among those admitted to hospital, twelve were children under sixteen years old. Overall, one hundred twelve individuals required hospital admission while twenty-seven received treatment without being admitted; among these one hundred thirty-nine casualties, seventy-nine were minors.

Government support and reaction

Prime Minister Theresa May denounced the attack near 10 Downing Street as an act of 'sickening cowardice' and accompanied Home Secretary Amber Rudd on a visit to Manchester. That same morning, May convened an urgent meeting at the Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms (COBR), resulting in the elevation of the United Kingdom's threat status to 'critical', the highest possible level. This alert was downgraded to 'severe' on 27 May.

The incident prompted the activation of Operation Temperer for the first time since its establishment following the 2015 Charlie Hebdo shooting. Within two days, 984 military personnel were stationed throughout London at key sites such as the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, and nuclear facilities, with public tours of these venues suspended. By 30 May, troop numbers increased to 1,400 before the operation concluded. Additionally, the bombing spurred the formation of the Commission for Countering Extremism.

In November 2017, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham criticized May’s initial plan to allocate only £12 million towards the £28 million required for rebuilding efforts in the city. Full reimbursement from May was provided in January 2018. A 2021 analysis published in the American Political Science Review observed a decline in May’s approval ratings post-attack, attributing part of this shift to gender dynamics affecting public perceptions of crisis leadership. The Greater Manchester Police reported a rise in anti-Muslim hate crimes following the event.

Expressions of sympathy came from British officials and public figures alike. Queen Elizabeth II visited Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, describing the attack as 'very wicked'. Burnham labeled it 'evil'. Thousands assembled in Albert Square, Manchester, where Rudd, Burnham, and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn participated in a vigil led by Bishop David Walker. The Muslim Council of Britain condemned the attack as 'horrific'. On 25 May, a national minute's silence was observed; in St Ann's Square, Manchester, it ended with applause and a rendition of Oasis' Don't Look Back in Anger. Occurring just two weeks before the 2017 United Kingdom general election, both Labour and the Conservative parties paused their campaigning activities.

Global reactions

Leaders worldwide expressed their condolences following the bombing, including US President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar ordered flags to be flown at half-mast, while Pope Francis extended his sympathies.

On 23 May, singer Ariana Grande shared a message of sympathy on Twitter, which became the platform’s most-liked tweet until it was surpassed by former US President Barack Obama’s post following the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. According to Us Weekly, Grande returned home to Florida and halted her ongoing Dangerous Woman Tour. In a 2018 interview with British Vogue, she revealed that she developed symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of the attack.

One Love Manchester

On 30 May, Grande revealed plans for the benefit event One Love Manchester, supporting the We Love Manchester emergency fund established by Manchester City Council and the British Red Cross. The concert took place on 4 June at Old Trafford Cricket Ground, featuring performances by Grande, Take That, Miley Cyrus, Pharrell Williams, Niall Horan, and Usher. Attendance was granted through free tickets distributed to those who had been at the Manchester Arena show. By 5 June, the event had generated $13 million in donations. Further contributions were raised through the reissue of Grande's 2014 track One Last Time as a charity single and a rendition of Over the Rainbow. On 14 June, Grande was honored as Manchester's first-ever honorary citizen.

Investigations and inquiries

The residence in Fallowfield where Abedi resided was searched on 23 May using a controlled explosion; meanwhile, his brother was detained in Chorlton-cum-Hardy. Additional searches took place in south Manchester and Whalley Range. Initially, authorities explored the possibility of a support network but later determined that Abedi primarily acted independently. By 11 June, all 22 individuals arrested had been released without charges, although police suspected others might have had knowledge of Abedi’s intentions.

Shortly after the attack, classified information regarding Abedi was leaked by intelligence agencies in the US and France, provoking criticism from UK officials and leading to a suspension of intelligence sharing with US counterparts. Prime Minister Theresa May stressed the importance of safeguarding shared intelligence; President Trump described the leaks as "deeply troubling" and promised an investigation. British authorities attributed the disclosures to failures within US security agencies. The editor of The New York Times defended publishing images of the bomb as they were considered non-classified. On 26 May, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson accepted accountability for these leaks.

A public inquiry commenced in September 2020 and issued a comprehensive 200-page report in June 2021 that highlighted missed chances by police and private security personnel to avert the bombing. In February 2022, testimony revealed MI5 encountered difficulties processing intelligence prior to the attack; crucial information about Abedi was not relayed to counter-terrorism units. The inquiry formally concluded on 8 June 2023. On 18 October 2023, Coroner Sir John Saunders officially classified Abedi’s death as "suicide while undertaking a terror attack."

The Kerslake Report, published on 27 March 2018, assessed emergency response readiness. It commended Greater Manchester Police and British Transport Police but identified delayed fire service arrival due to communication breakdowns. Vodafone faced severe criticism for catastrophic failure of an emergency helpline system provided by Content Guru, which caused distressing delays for families seeking assistance. The report also condemned intrusive media conduct during the crisis while recognizing the media’s vital role.

Salman Abedi

Salman Ramadan Abedi (31 December 1994 – 22 May 2017) was a British Muslim of Libyan heritage aged 22. US intelligence agencies identified him through a bank card and facial recognition technology. Born in Manchester to a Salafi family who fled Libya under Gaddafi’s regime, Abedi grew up in Whalley Range and later lived in Fallowfield. His family were regular attendees at Didsbury Mosque. He studied at Wellacre Technology College, Burnage Academy for Boys, and The Manchester College. A former tutor described him as "slow" and "passive". He belonged to a group that accused a teacher of Islamophobia after questioning suicide bombers and reportedly expressed that being a suicide bomber "was okay."

Abedi’s father was affiliated with the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, banned by the UN, and both parents fought during Libya’s civil war in 2011. While his parents remained in Libya during that year, Abedi returned to the UK. In 2014, he took a gap year during which he traveled back to Libya with his brother Hashem; there he sustained injuries fighting for an Islamist faction. They were rescued by the Royal Navy in August 2014 amid escalating conflict and returned to Britain. Intelligence indicates Abedi met with ISIS-linked groups in Libya and maintained contact after returning. An imam at Didsbury Mosque recalled Abedi displaying hostility following sermons condemning ISIS and Ansar al-Sharia in 2015.

People who knew him described Abedi as sociable who used alcohol and cannabis until around 2016. He enrolled at the University of Salford in 2014 to study business administration but dropped out to work at a bakery. Authorities believe he financed his plot using student loans and benefits while receiving bomb-making training abroad.

Though known to UK security services for minor offenses, Abedi was not flagged for radicalization, despite community members raising concerns about his extremism years earlier. He was banned from a mosque and reported by five community leaders as well as family members, yet Greater Manchester's Chief Constable confirmed Abedi was not known to the Prevent anti-radicalisation program.

On 29 May 2017, MI5 initiated internal investigations into its handling of prior warnings regarding Abedi. A report by the Intelligence and Security Committee in 2018 concluded MI5 responded "too slowly," missing chances to stop the attack.

Hashem Abedi

Hashem Abedi, born on 8 April 1997 and younger sibling of the Manchester Arena bomber, was detained by Libyan authorities on 23 May. He was suspected of plotting an attack within Libya and maintained frequent communication with Salman, possessing knowledge of the bombing scheme but not its scheduled date. On 1 November 2017, the United Kingdom formally requested his extradition to stand trial.

Following his extradition to the UK, Hashem faced charges on 17 July 2019 including murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy to cause an explosion. His trial commenced on 5 February 2020. On 17 March, he was convicted on 22 counts of murder for his role in procuring materials and assembling explosives used in the attack. On 20 August, he received a life sentence with a minimum term of 55 years—the longest minimum term ever handed down by a British court—although a whole life order was not applicable due to his age being under 21 at the time of the offense.

On 12 April 2025, Hashem assaulted prison officers at HM Prison Frankland using heated cooking oil and improvised weapons, resulting in three officers requiring hospitalization. This incident took place within a specialized unit housing dangerous extremist inmates. Previously, he had also attacked staff at HM Prison Belmarsh in 2022.

Ismail Abedi

In October 2021, Ismail Abedi, the bomber’s elder brother, departed the UK after being summoned by Judge John Saunders to provide testimony at the public inquiry. Ismail’s request for immunity from prosecution during his testimony was denied by Saunders. Subsequently, Ismail was convicted in absentia for failing to comply with a legal summons, leading to an arrest warrant being issued.

Aftermath

Manchester Arena remained closed until reopening on 9 September with a benefit concert featuring Oasis songwriter Noel Gallagher alongside other performers from North West England.

Legislation

In December 2022, legislation known as Martyn’s Law—a security bill for venues named after victim Martyn Hett—was anticipated but postponed beyond the 2024 general election. The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, referred to as Martyn’s Law, was announced in the King’s speech during the 2024 State Opening of Parliament and formally introduced to Parliament in September 2024.

Building security and considerations

The Kerslake Report highlighted inadequate security measures at the arena, pointing out irregularities in bag screening procedures; notably, the attacker accessed the venue through the City Room area, which was outside established security perimeters.

Conspiracy theorist

In October 2024, two individuals who survived the bombing succeeded in a High Court harassment lawsuit against ex-TV producer Richard Hall, who had wrongly asserted that the attack was a fabricated government event with no actual injuries. In November 2024, the court granted £45,000 in damages, divided equally between the two survivors.

Memorial

The victims are honored by The Glade of Light, a commemorative garden situated close to Manchester Cathedral. It was opened for public visitation on 5 January 2022, followed by an official ceremony on 10 May 2022.

On 9 February 2022, the memorial was subjected to vandalism causing £10,000 worth of damage; the perpetrator was sentenced to a two-year community order in June 2022.

See also

• List of terrorist incidents in Great Britain
• List of terrorist incidents in May 2017
• Manchester synagogue attack

External links

• Comprehensive list of bombing victims