Abedi pleads not guilty to 22 murders

Hashem Abedi, the younger brother of the Manchester Arena bomber, has denied murdering 22 people who were killed while leaving an Ariana Grande concert in 2017.

The 22-year-old also pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted murder, encompassing all the injured victims, and conspiring with his brother to cause explosions.

The defendant is accused of making both successful and unsuccessful attempts to buy bomb-making chemicals. It is also alleged that Abedi assisted in buying a Nissan Micra to store device components, and made detonator tubes for use in the explosive.

Following the attack on 22 May 2017, it was revealed that Abedi had travelled to Libya before his brother Salman Abedi detonated an explosive vest at the music venue, causing multiple deaths and injuring 260 people. He was extradited from Libya in July after being detained there shortly after the bombing.

Abedi’s trial has been delayed until the new year and is expected to last between six and eight weeks.

A public inquiry into the attacks will take place as soon as possible.