Manchester Arena bombing inquiry: MI5 tells chairman to 'not hold back' in terror attack report
MI5 answered questions over 10 days in closed hearings about why it did not act on two "highly relevant" pieces of intelligence it received in the months before the attack that killed 22 people.
Tuesday 15 March 2022 19:58, UK
The chairman of the inquiry into the Manchester Arena terror attack should "not hold back" in criticising MI5 when he issues his final report, the security service has said.
The agency has been accused by the families of the victims of being an "unhealthy" organisation that has been seeking to avoid scrutiny.
Kim Harrison, from the law firm Slater and Gordon, who represents 12 of the bereaved families, urged Sir John Saunders to be "clear sighted and brave" in his recommendations.
Ms Harrison asked him "to ensure that real change is effected and this country becomes a safer place out of this dreadful act of terror".
MI5 answered questions over 10 days in closed hearings about why it did not act on two "highly relevant" pieces of intelligence it received in the months before the attack.
The bomber Salman Abedi, 22, who died in the attack, appeared as a direct or indirect contact of at least eight different MI5 "subjects of interest" and was himself investigated in 2014, three years before the attack that killed 22 people.
The families have argued that the security service should have reopened its investigation as a result of the "cumulative" intelligence it received about him.
Cathryn McGahey QC, representing MI5, told the chairman: "MI5 does not suggest for one moment that you should hold back from making any criticism that you believe to be warranted.
"One of the major purposes of this inquiry is to identify failings and weaknesses and to make recommendations that might save lives in the future.
"MI5 wants to do everything possible to prevent another attack, and MI5 is willing to learn any lessons that it can. MI5 is already immensely self-critical."
However, the security service defended its decision not to reopen its investigation into the Manchester Arena bomber, saying it was "entirely reasonable" when judged in "real time".
"MI5 had to choose its priorities. Making those choices inevitably involves taking a risk that someone MI5 chooses not to investigate will go on to carry out an attack," Ms McGahey said.
"MI5 had to make those choices on the material available to it."
Read more:
The victims of the attack, remembered by their loved ones
A report on the emergency service response is expected in July and another on MI5 before the end of the year.
The inquiry heard Abedi's extremist views were likely to have been influenced by his father and by two subjects of interest with whom he had contact, known only as subjects B and C.
The bomber's younger brother, Hashem Abedi, was jailed for life in March 2020 after being found guilty of 22 counts of murder relating to the attack and must serve 55 years before parole. Police say investigations into other people suspected of assisting the plot are ongoing.
Ismail Abedi, his older brother, left the UK and did not give evidence to the inquiry.
The bomber's father Ramadan Abedi lives in Libya.
The public inquiry has now adjourned and the chairman is expected to publish his reports later this year.