The brother of the suicide bomber who a explosion at a 2017 Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, 22 people killed and hundreds injured, was sentenced Thursday to a minimum of 55 years in prison.
Hashem Abedi, 23, had refused to help plan the attack at Manchester Arena, but was found guilty of murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy to cause explosions. His conviction was postponed due to travel restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic.
He refused to attend court for the sentencing of the sentence.
His older brother Salman Abedi, who set off the bomb, died in the May 22, 2017 attack at the end of the concert.
Greater Manchester Police via AP
Judge Jeremy Baker said during the sentencing hearing that the two brothers were “equally punishable for the deaths and injuries caused by the explosion.”
“Although Salman Abedi was directly responsible, it was clear that the defendant played an integral part in the planning,” Baker said.
The judge said that if the younger brother was over the age of 21 at the time of the explosion, he would have received a “full life sentence.” Instead, he was sentenced to a term of at least 55 years before parole can be considered.
“The suspect should clearly understand that the minimum term he has to serve is 55 years. He can never be released,” Baker added.
He added that there was an “important degree of premeditation” and that the motivation for the brothers was “to advance the ideology of Islamism.”
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