Manchester Arena Bomber’s Brother Pleads Not Guilty to Prison Attacks
The brother of the Manchester Arena bomber pleaded not guilty today to charges of attempted murder and assault of prison officers at a maximum-security jail, stemming from an alleged attack using hot cooking oil and homemade weapons.
Hashem Abedi, 28, appeared via video link at the Old Bailey from HMP Belmarsh in London, where he is serving a life sentence for assisting in the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing that killed 22 people. Prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward KC stated the case has a “terrorist connection” and occurred during a permitted cooking session, alleging Abedi “attacked and attempted to murder three prison officers using hot oil and makeshift weapons he had constructed himself,” shouting “Allahu Akbar” twice during the incident. A fourth officer was also reportedly assaulted.
The alleged attack took place on April 12 of this year at HMP Frankland in County Durham. Ledward noted there was no prior indication of hostility towards the officers, but highlighted Abedi’s “extremist mindset,” referencing his 2020 conviction related to the arena bombing – a case that deeply impacted the nation and led to significant reviews of security at large public events. Abedi, who chose to represent himself, pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempted murder and one count of actual bodily harm. He told the court, when asked about legal representation, “Yeah, basically I don’t want to attend anyway. That’s why.”
The trial is scheduled to begin on January 18, 2027, and is expected to last two to three weeks, with a provisional hearing set for January 30, 2026. Further information on the Manchester Arena bombing and its aftermath can be found at the UK government’s official report. Abedi was remanded into custody pending the trial, and the Prison Service has not yet commented on the specifics of the allegations.
