The brother of a suicide bomber who attacked a concert in Manchester has been extradited from Libya and arrested in London on suspicion of helping plan the blast.
Salman Abedi, a 22-year-old Briton born to Libyan parents, blew himself up at the end of an Ariana Grande show in 2017 in the deadliest militant attack in Britain for 12 years.
The explosion killed 22 people and injured more than 500.
Hashem Abedi, the younger brother of Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi after he was arrested in Tripoli, Libya. Source: LIBYAN INTERIOR MINISTRY
British authorities had sought the extradition of his brother Hashem after police issued an arrest warrant for murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to cause an explosion.
But Libya had long stalled on the request, made in November 2017.
"He has today been successfully extradited, for offences relating to the Manchester Arena attack," Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said in a statement on Wednesday.
"He was handed over by Libyan authorities to British police officers this morning. They escorted him on the flight back and he landed in the UK a short while ago."
The crowd cheer during the 'We Are Manchester' benefit show following the re-opening of the Manchester Arena in 2017. Source: Press Association
Police said Abedi arrived at a London airport and would appear at Westminster Magistrates Court but did not say when.
A spokesman for the Tripoli-based Special Deterrence Force (Rada), who wished to remain anonymous, said Abedi was extradited in accordance with a court verdict.
British politicians welcomed the extradition.
"Thanks to the Libyan authorities for their close co-operation on the successful extradition of Hashem Abedi," British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said.
"Whoever is found responsible for this great evil must face justice. It is right that Abedi will now face criminal proceedings in the UK."
Salman Abedi, a 22-year-old Briton born to Libyan parents, blew himself up at the end of an Ariana Grande show. Source: Invision
Rada, a counter-terrorism and anti-crime group aligned with the internationally recognised government in Tripoli, arrested Hashem shortly after the Manchester bombing on suspicion he had helped co-ordinate the attack.
Rada said at the time that Salman and Hashem flew together to Libya in April 2017, before Salman returned to Britain to carry out the attack at the Manchester Arena in May that year.
CCTV allegedly showing of Salman Abedi, at an unknown location in Greater Manchester prior to the deadly 2017 attack. Source: Greater Manchester Police
British members of parliament found last year that the MI5 security service missed potential opportunities to prevent the bombing.
Islamic State said it was responsible in the immediate aftermath of the attack, but security services have always treated the claim with scepticism.
