The brother of Manchester suicide bomber Salman Abedi has been arrested at a London airport after being extradited from Libya over his alleged involvement in the terror attack.
Hashem Abedi was arrested for murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to cause an explosion likely to endanger life and he will be transferred into police custody in London, according to Greater Manchester Police.
He left the UK in the days before his older brother Salman Abedi carried out a suicide bombing as thousands of people left an Ariana Grande concert on 22 May, 2017.
Hashem Abedi was arrested in Libya shortly after his brother blew himself up at the arena, killing 22 people.
"The Crown Prosecution Service successfully applied for the extradition of Hashem Abedi from Libya and today he has been extradited for offences relating to the Manchester Arena attack," GMP Chief Constable said.
Advertisement
"He was handed over by Libyan authorities to British police officers this morning.
"They escorted him on the flight back and they landed in the United Kingdom a short while ago."
More from UK
Information published by Libyan military group Rada two days after his detention claimed Hashem Abedi was a member of Islamic State, and was the younger of the two brothers.
It said he was born in Manchester and was a university engineering student in the city – which he left days before the terror attack, but was in constant contact with his brother.
The families of the victims of the Manchester Arena attack were the first people to be told about his return to the UK by Greater Manchester Police this morning.
It is understood police explained the operation to bring Hashem Abedi back to the UK from Libya needed to be kept secret due to the ongoing civil conflict in the country.
Britain requested his extradition in 2017 to face charges over his alleged involvement in the bombing.
It came after police issued an arrest warrant against him for murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to cause an explosion.
Children were among those killed when Salman Abedi detonated a homemade bomb in the foyer of the Manchester Arena two years ago.
The 22-year-old was born in Manchester after his parents fled the Gaddafi regime in Libya.
[contf]
[contfnew]
Sky News
[contfnewc]
[contfnewc]
