A British court has sentenced the Manchester bomber’s brother to at least 55 years in prison. The 22-year-old Hashem Abedi supported his brother Salman’s plans for the attack on a concert by the pop singer Ariana Grande in 2017, said judge Jeremy Baker in London today. Both brothers are „equally“ to blame for the deaths of 22 people.
Abedi will not leave prison in 55 years at the earliest, Baker said. Because Abedi was under 21 at the time of the offense, it was not possible to impose a life sentence on him. Still, Abedi „may never be released,“ said the judge.
The London court had found Abedi guilty of 22 murders, dozens of attempted murders and the conspiracy to cause explosions in March.
Salman Abedi blew himself up on May 22, 2017 after the pop concert. He killed 22 people, including seven children and young people under the age of 18. Hundreds of other people were injured. The jihadist militia Islamic State (IS) claimed the act for itself.
„Appalling Crimes“
According to the court, his brother Hashem had procured the chemicals for the explosive device, made the detonators and bought the car in which the parts for the bomb were stored until they were assembled.
The Abedi brothers had committed „appalling crimes“ that most Muslims found „hideous“, Baker said. The „desperation and desolation“ into which the attack plunged the victims‘ families became „palpable“ during the trial.
Hashem Abedi had traveled to Libya, where his family is from, before the attack. He was arrested in Tripoli a few days after the crime and extradited to Great Britain in July 2017. Since then, he has been in custody. He stayed away from the end of the trial.
