Manchester bomber Salman Abedi radicalised in UK, says brother

Manchester bomber Salman Abedi was radicalised while living in the UK two years before his deadly attack, Libyan authorities said.

Abedi’s brother Hashim, who was arrested in Tripoli in the wake of last month’s attack, knew the 22-year-old was planning something, counter-terror official Ahmed bin Salem said.

Three men being held in connection with the suicide bombing have been released, leaving six still in police custody, Greater Manchester Police said.

A 31-year-old who handed himself in to detectives on Wednesday night will face no further action, along with a 44-year-old arrested on May 26 and a 20-year-old arrested on Tuesday, the force said.

The intensive counter-operation continued into Thursday as officers raided an address on Crofton Street, in the Rusholme area of the city.

It was in Manchester that Abedi became radicalised in 2015, Mr bin Salem told the Associated Press, following further questioning of his 20-year-old sibling.

The British-born extremist of Libyan descent killed 22 people when he detonated the device as concert-goers began leaving a show by US singer Ariana Grande in Manchester Arena.

Abedi’s father Ramadan was also arrested in Libya two days after the attack.

Both Hashim and Ramadan are still being held for questioning.

To date, 21 people have been arrested in connection with the investigation, of whom 15 have been released without charge.

On Tuesday, police said they had found “significant evidence” in a car where Abedi may have stored items used to assemble his improvised explosive device.

It is reported Hashim also told Libyan officials Abedi bought some of his bomb-making material in Britain.

The inquests into the deaths of the victims, who include seven children, are due to begin on Friday at 10.30am.

They will be opened at Manchester Civil Justice Centre by senior coroner for Manchester Nigel Meadows.

The hearings are expected to be adjourned, pending the completion of the police investigation.

An inquest into Abedi’s death will be opened at a later date.

On Tuesday, an 18-year-old man, understood to be Abedi’s cousin, and two other men were freed.

Abedi’s older brother, Ismail, 23, was released on Monday, while his other cousins, Isaac Forjani, 24, and Abz Forjani, 21, both from Fallowfield, were among those freed last week.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the atrocity.