Manchester Arena inquiry: Salman Abedi 'trained with Islamist militia'

bbc ^ | 12/08/2020 | Daniel De Simone

[xomething]

Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi trained or fought with an Islamist militia in Libya...

His cousin Abderahman Forjani told police Abedi travelled to Libya during its 2011 revolution and "obtained a job locating Gaddafi supporters".

Abedi had been involved in "raids during that period" and images showed him with weapons, rocket launchers and military vehicles, a court heard.

...

The inquiry into the attack was told police concluded Abedi had been involved with the February 17th Martyrs Brigade.

The information was revealed during the evidence of Det Ch Supt Simon Barraclough, from Greater Manchester Police, who was the senior investigating officer on the case.

The inquiry heard that a UK counter-terror investigation into a woman associated with the February 17th Martyrs Brigade had - in January 2017 - seized an image of a person brandishing a rifle in Libya that bears a "strong resemblance" to Salman Abedi, but the likeness was only established in 2018.

The court was told three of the woman's children have travelled to Syria and were associated with al-Qaeda aligned groups, with one of them dying there while fighting.

When officers searched the Abedi family home after the arena attack, a hard drive was found showing both Salman and Hashem Abedi in military uniform in Libya in 2011.

In his statement, Det Ch Supt Barraclough concluded it was not unreasonable to suggest that Salman Abedi had fought with the February 17th Martyrs Brigade, attended a training camp, or both.

But he confirmed that Abedi, who had been an MI5 subject of interest, was never stopped when travelling in and out of the UK between 2010 and 2017.

...

The inquiry also heard the father of the Abedi brothers was thought to have lied during his asylum application, but later received British citizenship.

...