LONDON (AP) – The brother of the suicide bomber who set off an explosion at a 2017 Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, killing 22 people and injuring hundreds, was sentenced on 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.
His older brother Salman Abedi set off the bomb in the foyer of the arena at the end of the May 22, 2017 concert, as fans – including thousands of children and young people – left the pop star’s show. He died in the explosion.
Hashem Abedi refused to attend the court hearing for two days of self-punishment, which heard powerful testimony from the families of the victims, many of whom fought back tears as they described their grief.
Judge Jeremy Baker said 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 may never have been released, ‘Baker added.
He added that there was an “important degree of premeditation” and that the motivation for the brothers was “to promote the ideology of Islamism.”
The brothers were born in Manchester to Libyan parents. They had traveled to Libya the month before the attack. Salman returned to the United Kingdom on May 18, 2017, when he finalized preparations for the attack. Hashem remained in Libya until he was extradited to Britain and arrested last year at a London airport.
Prosecutors said he played a key role in the attack, including ordering chemicals for the bomb and arranging transportation for the materials.
The Manchester bombing was the deadliest in a string of extremist attacks in London and Manchester in the spring and summer of 2017. Targets in London included Westminster Bridge, London Bridge, and a north London mosque.
In response to Thursday’s sentencing, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the Manchester attack was a “horrific and cowardly act of violence targeting children and families.”
“Those who have been taken from us will never be forgotten, and the minds of the people of Manchester who came together to send a clear message to the whole world will not be forgotten either, and terrorists will never appear, “said Johnson.
The youngest victim killed in the attack was age 8.
Caroline Curry, mother of Liam Curry, 19, took a photo of her son in court and focused on an empty dock on Wednesday.
“You took his future, my future, my future from my family,” she said. “All we have now is heartbeat and dreams of something like that.”
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