Attack of Manchester Arena: Hashem Abedi imprisoned for at least 55 years

The brother of the Manchester Arena bomber has been jailed for at least 55 years for the murders of 22 people.

Hashem Abedi assisted his older sibling Salman in planning the atrocity that killed 22 men, women and children and injured 22 more on May 22, 2017.

He was convicted after a court heard he was “just as guilty” as his brother, who detonated the bomb at the end of an Ariana Grande concert.

Abedi, 23, refused to leave his cell at Old Bailey for sentencing.

Mr. Justice Jeremy Baker told the court “the violent reality is, these were heinous crimes. Large-scale, deadly in intent, horrific for their consequences”.

“The despair and devastation of the bereaved families is palpable,” he added.

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He told Abedi he would spend at least 55 years in prison before he could even be considered for parole, adding that he “may never be released”.

Because he was under 21 at the time of the murders, the law prohibits the imposition of an entire life sentence, which means a life sentence with no minimum term.

Abedi, born in Manchester, who had traveled to Libya before the bombing, was arrested shortly after the terror and returned to Britain to stand trial.

He was convicted in March by a jury of 22 counts of murder, attempted murder – including the remaining wounded – and conspiracy to cause explosions.

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Figen Murray, the mother of Martyn Hett who was killed in the blast, said: “Abedi now has justice for his crimes.

“My life has changed completely because of the horrible crimes that are being committed today.”

She added that she would continue to ‘spread messages of kindness and tolerance so that those who try to divide us never win’, as a campaign for Martyn’s Law, making it mandatory for every location to assess the risk of a terrorist attack.

The families of Liam Curry and Chloe Rutherford said “we have our children in the worst way of our ripe”, adding Abedi was “an absolute coward” for refusing to go to court.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Abedi’s imprisonment for his role in the bombing was “an opportunity to reflect on the importance of tolerance, community and friendliness”.

“The Manchester Arena attack was a horrific and cowardly act of violence that targeted children and families,” he said.

“Those who have been taken from us will never be forgotten, and the spirit of the people of Manchester who came together to send a clear message to the whole world will not be forgotten either.”

In the course of the two-day sentence, the court heard emotional testimonies from bereaved relatives.

Elders burst into tears as they recalled the moment they discovered that their loved ones had died.

Some held up photos of their children as they paid tribute to them and described the “devastating” effect of their grief.

Victoria Higgins, a lawyer for Slater and Gordon, who acted on behalf of 12 of those killed, said: “This is the end of one chapter for those affected by this horrific atrocity.”

“The families have been waiting a long time to see this man brought to justice and sentenced to life in prison for his crimes.”

But she added “the next phase is there to begin” with a public inquiry into the attack due later this year.