Shropshire Star

Arena bomber apologised for ‘any mess’ in note to landlady, court told

Salman Abedi used the false name ‘Sam Abdi’ to rent the one-bedroom property in central Manchester.

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The bedroom in the Granby House apartment in central Manchester where Salman Abedi lived for the four days before he detonated his suicide bomb at Manchester Arena in 2017

Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi left a handwritten note to his landlady apologising for “any mess” he made, before detonating his rucksack packed with homemade explosives at the venue, a court has heard.

Jurors at the Old Bailey were shown a scribbled apology on a sheet of paper left inside apartment 39, Granby House, central Manchester, which was recovered when police searched the rental property on May 24 2017, two days after Abedi brought terror to the city.

It read: “Sorry if there is anything missing in the apartment or any mess made, the extra 150 (pounds) and the rest of the week’s rent can hopefully cover it. ‘Sam’.”

Abedi, 22, used the false name “Sam Abdi” to rent the one-bedroom property from Ruth Bain, agreeing to pay £750 for a two-week short-term stay, jurors previously heard.

A handwritten note left by Salman Abedi when he took on a short-term rental of a one-bedroom apartment in Granby House, central Manchester
The handwritten note left by Salman Abedi (Greater Manchester Police/PA)

But four days into the let, he was seen on CCTV leaving the one-bedroom flat and heading to Manchester Arena, where he detonated his suicide bomb as thousands of men, women and children left an Ariana Grande concert.

Prosecutors said Abedi and his younger brother Hashem used various addresses, vehicles and mobile phones to organise, stockpile and store components for the bomb.

The brothers left their family home in Elsmore Road, Fallowfield, in April on one-way tickets, accompanied by their parents. But Salman returned, alone, on May 18, jurors were told.

Hashem, now also 22, is on trial accused of conspiring with Salman over the plot, which killed 22 people and injured hundreds of others.

Photographs taken during searches of the Granby House flat and the family home in the days after the bombing showed discarded oil cans, residue from bomb-making chemicals, and various nuts and bolts, the court heard.

Inside the Granby House apartment in central Manchester where Salman Abedi lived for the four days before he detonated his suicide bomb at Manchester Arena in 2017
Inside the apartment where Salman Abedi lived for the four days before he detonated his suicide bomb at Manchester Arena in 2017 (Greater Manchester Police/PA)

At Granby House, officers also discovered items including scrapings from match sticks, various bits of wire, black tape, a serrated edge saw, and a roll of clear acetate, prosecutors said.

Jurors previously heard how Salman agreed to pay £600 upfront to Ms Bain, with a further £150 part-way through his stay, and handed the landlady a handwritten note containing his false name, a “previous address” and some contact details.

Ms Bain told police her subsequent attempts to contact the new, short-term tenant were unsuccessful. She later recognised his face from media coverage of the bombing suspect.

The trial continues.

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