TheManchester Arena bombing, orManchester Arena attack, was anIslamic terrorist suicide bombing ofManchester Arena inManchester, England, on 22 May 2017, followinga concert by the American pop singerAriana Grande. Perpetrated byIslamic extremist Salman Abedi and aided by his brother, Hashem Abedi, the bombing occurred at 22:31 and killed 22 people, injured 1,017, and destroyed the arena's foyer. It was the deadliest act of terrorism and the first suicide bombing in the United Kingdom since the7 July 2005 London bombings.
Carrying a large backpack, he detonated animprovised explosive device containingtriacetone triperoxide (TATP) andnuts and bolts serving as shrapnel. After initial suspicions of a terrorist network, police later said they believed Abedi had largely acted alone, but that others had been aware of his plans. In 2020, Hashem Abedi was tried and convicted for murder, attempted murder andconspiracy, and he was sentenced to life imprisonment in August 2020 with a minimum term of 55 years, the longest ever imposed by a British court. A public inquiry released in 2021 found that 'more should have been done' by British police to stop the attack, whileMI5 admitted it acted too slowly in dealing with Abedi.
Abedi's sister said her brother was motivated by the injustice of Muslim children dying in bombings stemming from theUnited States-led intervention in the Syrian civil war. A family friend of the Abedi's also remarked that Salman had vowed revenge at the funeral of Abdul Wahab Hafidah, who was run over and stabbed to death by a Manchester gang on 12 May 2016 and was a friend of Salman and his younger brother Hashem. Hashem later co-ordinated the Manchester bombing with his brother.[2][3] During the police investigation, they uncovered evidence that the two had participated in theLibyan civil war and had met with members ofAl-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Police uncovered photographs with the brothers alongside the sons ofAbu Anas al-Libi, a high ranking Al-Qaeda fighter in Libya.[4]
TheIslamic State (ISIS) released a statement on the messaging appTelegram on 23 May claiming responsibility. In the statement, ISIS said that a "soldier of theKhilafah" detonated an explosive amidst a crowd of 'the crusaders in the British city of Manchester'.[5] United States director of national intelligenceDan Coats said—before theSenate Armed Services Committee—that ISIS frequently claims responsibility and the United States could not confirm their claims. FormerFederal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agentAli Soufan noted the inaccuracy in their statement and suggested their media apparatus was weaker than usual; the statement claims that the bomb exploded in the middle of the arena, not its foyer.[6] Then French interior ministerGérard Collomb said in an interview withBFM TV that Abedi may have been to Syria, and had "proven" links with ISIS.[7]
An investigation by Greater Manchester Police into a report by the BBC that an imam of theDidsbury Mosque, where Abedi and his family were regulars, had made a call for armedjihad 10 days before Abedi bought his concert ticket, found that no offences had been committed.[8][9][10]
Reconnaissance
According to German police sources, Abedi transited throughDüsseldorf Airport on his way home to Manchester fromIstanbul four days before the bombing.[11] Abedi returned to Manchester on 18 May after a trip toLibya.[12]Closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage identified Abedi multiple times prior to the bombing. On 18 May, at 18:14, CCTV footage first identified him leaving theShudehill Interchange, briefly talking to a Manchester Arena worker before observing the queues and entrances within the City Room.[c] Abedi was spotted in the City Room on 21 May at 18:53 and on 22 May at 18:34, approximately 30 minutes after Grande's performance began. In all three visits, Abedi was noted using his mobile phone and did not appear to carry an explosive.[13]
Building the bomb
Police outside the entrance of Granby House, inside which Abedi had assembled the device, on 24 May[14]
After returning to Manchester, Abedi bought bomb-making material, apparently constructing theacetone peroxide-based bomb by himself. It is known that many members of the ISIS Battar brigade trained people in bomb-making in Libya.[12] According toThe New York Times, the bomb was 'animprovised device made with forethought and care'. Metal nuts and screws were found, suggesting that it was intended to be anail bomb. Images released byThe New York Times show an explosive charge inside a lightweight metal container which was carried within a black vest or a blueKarrimor backpack. His torso was propelled by the blast through the doors to the arena, possibly indicating that the explosive charge was held in the backpack and blew him forward on detonation. A corroded 12-volt, 2.1 amp-hourlead acid battery manufactured byGS Yuasa was found at the scene.[15] A coroner's inquest suggested that the bomb was strong enough to kill people up to 20 metres (66 ft) away.[16]Michael McCaul, a US representative and then chairman of theHouse Homeland Security Committee claimed that the bomb contained triacetone triperoxide (TATP), described by McCaul as "a classic explosive device used by terrorists".[17]
Bombing
The City Room, pictured in 2020 after renovations
The concert began at around 19:35.[18] From approximately 20:30 to 20:51, Abedi moved from the Shudehill Interchange to the City Room, moving towards the men's toilet on theVictoria station concourse at 20:36 and departing at 20:48. During his visit to the toilet, he was seen by twoBritish Transport Police (BTP) community support officers and two Showsec security guards. Using the station concourse lift, he made his way towards the City Room.[19] From 20:51 to 21:10, he was spotted by a Showsec employee for less than ten seconds on the mezzanine of the City Room before moving back towards the tram platform at 21:13. While in the City Room, Abedi hid in a spot that was not covered by the arena's CCTV system.[20] Abedi made his final journey towards the City Room at 21:29, arriving at 21:33. Abedi was spotted by a person who was hired to prevent illegal screen recordings of the concert—by 22:00. She said that she had informed a BTP constable of Abedi's presence, who stated that she had no recollection of such a conversation.[21]
A video from a concertgoer showing the inside of the arena immediately after the bombing
Grande began performing at 21:00 and the concert drew to a close shortly before 22:30. According to a Libyan official, Abedi spoke with his younger brother, Hashem, on the phone about 15 minutes before the attack was carried out.[22] Five BTP constables were scheduled to patrol the Victoria Exchange Complex, although only four were in attendance by the time of the bombing. None of the four constables were present in the City Room between 22:00 and 22:31; two constables had left on their dinner break.[23] Although Showsec expected an egress and a supervisor was present in the City Room between 22:08 and 22:17, the supervisor did not go up to the mezzanine and did not spot Abedi. Abedi was spotted again at 22:12 by another member of the public, who asked what he had in his bag. He was concerned that the bag may have contained a bomb after he did not answer and reported him, to which he was told that the BTP were already aware of Abedi. After being told of the concerns, a Showsec employee was afraid that he would be considered a racist and did not approach Abedi. While he attempted to get through on the radio, heavy radio traffic prevented him from reaching any other people.[24] As the concert ended, concert-goers left through the City Room, one of four entrances into the arena.[25] At 22:30, Abedi descended from the mezzanine.[26]
At exactly 22:31 (21:31UTC), the nail bomb, weighing in excess of 30 kilograms (66 lb), detonated in the City Room.[27] 23 people, including Abedi, were killed and hundreds more were injured.[28]
Casualties
An estimated 14,200 people were at the concert when the bomb exploded.[29] The explosion killed the attacker and 22 concert-goers and parents who were in the entrance waiting to pick up their children following the show; 119 people were initially reported as injured.[30][31] This number was revised by police to 250 on 22 June, with the addition of severepsychological trauma and minor injuries.[32] In May 2018, the number of injured was revised to 800.[33] During the public inquiry into the bombing, it was updated in December 2020 to 1,017 people sustaining injuries.[34] A study published in September 2019 said that 239 of the injuries were physical.[35] The dead included ten people aged under 20; the youngest victim was an eight-year-old girl and the oldest was a 51-year-old woman.[31] Of the 22 victims, twenty were from Britain and two were UK-based Polish nationals.[36] Police and family of 29-year-old victim Martyn Hett, who was 4 metres (13 ft) away from the blast and after whomMartyn's Law was named, stated that due to the severity of the explosion, he could only be identified by a tattoo ofDeirdre Barlow on his leg.[37][38]
Within a minute of the bombing, a police constable sent a radio message saying 'We need more people at Victoria, we just had a loud bang', through the BTP channel. Two sergeants were in thePeninsula Building and ran towards the arena when they heard the explosion. One of them called for asitrep at 22:33. At 22:34, the BTP command centre was told that there were 'at least twenty casualties' and the explosion was 'definitely [caused by] a bomb'. BTP's command centre called for theNorth West Ambulance Service (NWAS) and theGreater Manchester Police (GMP). The first vehicle arrived at 22:34. A BTP constable confirmed the location at 22:39 as the 'ticket office in the arena' and said there were 60 casualties.[39]
Greater Manchester Police
At 22:31:52, the first999 call reporting a bombing at the arena was made by an injured bystander. The second call, placed at 22:32:40, incorrectly stated that there were gunshots alongside the explosion. The force duty officer on the night of the attack became aware of the bombing at 22:34 and immediately deployed firearms officers. He arrived on the adjacent Trinity Way by 22:39 and communicated that the attack may have been a fireworks display at 22:39:30. A separate firearms officer said that there were 'major casualties' at 22:41 and mentionedOperation Plato, the response to a marauding terrorist attack (MTA). At 22:42:44, the first two GMP officers were spotted on CCTV through the lower doors on Trinity Way, while three arrived through theVictoria station.[40] Operation Plato was declared at 22:47,[41] and a 'major incident' was declared at 23:04.[42] At 01:32, a precautionary controlled explosion was carried out on a suspicious item inCathedral Gardens.[43]
Ambulance service response
At 22:32, a member of the public made a 999 call about the explosion and identified where he was, the foyer, and the location of the detonation. TheNorth West Ambulance Service reported that 60 of its ambulances attended the scene, carried 59 people to local hospitals and treatedwalking wounded on site.[44] Michael Daley, an off-duty consultant anaesthetist was entered into theBritish Medical Journal's book of valour for his bravery in June 2017.[45] Of those hospitalised, 12 were children under the age of 16.[30] In total, 112 people were hospitalised for their injuries and 27 were treated for injuries that did not require hospitalisation. Out of this total of 139, 79 were children.[46]
Government aid and response
All acts of terrorism are cowardly attacks on innocent people, but this attack stands out for its appalling, sickening cowardice, deliberately targeting innocent, defenceless children and young people who should have been enjoying one of the most memorable nights of their lives.
Prime MinisterTheresa May spoke in front of10 Downing Street to condemn the 'sickening cowardice' of the attack. She then travelled to Manchester with Home SecretaryAmber Rudd.[47] That morning, May led an emergencyCabinet Office Briefing Rooms (COBR) meeting. The meeting raised theUnited Kingdom's threat level to 'critical', its highest level. On 27 May, the threat level was reduced to 'severe', its previous status.[48]
In November 2017,Greater Manchester mayorAndy Burnham said that Theresa May had intended to only pay£12 million of the£28 million estimated to help the city rebuild, leading to criticism.[52] May later fully reimbursed the city of Manchester in January 2018.[53] A study published in theAmerican Political Science Review in 2021 observed May's approval ratings following the bombing. Although the researchers expected a result indicative of therally 'round the flag effect—in which the approval ratings of a political leader increases in the wake of a crisis or war—May's approval ratings decreased. The researchers suggested that May's gender played a role in the public's response, writing that female leaders 'cannot count on rallies following major terrorist attacks'.[54] The GMP reported a surge in anti-Muslim hate crimes in the wake of the bombing.[55]
The property in Fallowfield where Abedi lived was raided on 23 May. Armed police breached the house with a controlled explosion and searched it. Abedi's 23-year-old brother was arrested inChorlton-cum-Hardy in south Manchester in relation to the attack.[71][72] Police carried out raids in two other areas of south Manchester and another address in the Whalley Range area.[72] Three other men were arrested, and police initially spoke of a network supporting the bomber;[73] they later announced that Abedi had sourced all the bomb components himself and that they now believed he had largely acted alone.[74] On 6 July, police said that they believed others had been aware of Abedi's plans.[75] A total of 22 people were arrested in connection with the attack, but had all been released withoutcharge by 11 June following the police's conclusion that Abedi was likely to have acted alone,[76] even though others may have been aware of his plans.[citation needed]
Within hours of the attack, Abedi's name and other information given confidentially to security services in the United States and France were leaked to the press, leading to condemnation from Home SecretaryAmber Rudd.[77][78] Following the publication of crime scene photographs of the backpack bomb used in the attack in the 24 May edition ofThe New York Times, United Kingdom counterterrorism police chiefs said the release of the material was detrimental to the investigation.[79] On 25 May, the GMP said it had stopped sharing information on the attack with the US intelligence services. Theresa May said she would make clear to then presidentDonald Trump that 'intelligence that has been shared must be made secure.'[80] Trump described the leaks to the news media as 'deeply troubling' and pledged to carry out a full investigation.[81] British officials blamed the leaks on 'the breakdown of normal discipline at theWhite House and in theUS security services'.[82]The New York Times editorDean Baquet declined to apologise for publishing the backpack bomb photographs, saying 'We live in different press worlds' and that the material was not classified at the highest level.[83] On 26 May, then United States secretary of stateRex Tillerson said the United States government accepted responsibility for the leaks.[84]
Apublic inquiry into the attack was launched in September 2020. The first of three reports to be produced was a 200-page report published on 17 June 2021. It found that "there were a number of missed opportunities to alter the course of what happened that night" and that "more should have been done" by police and private security guards to prevent the bombing.[85] In February 2022, it was reported that security services were 'struggling to cope' during the period leading up to the bombing. One MI5 officer told the inquiry that he had warned superiors that something might get through due to large numbers of documents needing processing. Intelligence that MI5 had before the attack and which might have led to Salman Abedi being placed under investigation was not passed tocounter-terrorism police.[86] The Manchester Arena Inquiry published a press release announcing that the inquiry officially concluded on 8 June 2023.[87] On 18 October 2023, Coroner Sir John Saunders ruled that Salman Abedi's death was 'suicide while undertaking a terror attack'.[88]
On 27 March 2018, a report by civil servantBob Kerslake and commissioned by mayorAndy Burnham was published. The Kerslake Report was "an independent review into the preparedness for, and emergency response to, the Manchester Arena attack."[89] In the report, Kerslake largely praised theGreater Manchester Police andBritish Transport Police, and noted that it was 'fortuitous' that theNorth West Ambulance Service was unaware of the declaration of Operation Plato, a protocol under which all responders should have withdrawn from the arena in case of an active killer on the premises.[90] However, it found that theGreater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service was "brought to a point of paralysis" as their response was delayed for two hours due to poor communication between the firefighters'liaison officer and the police force.[91][92][93] The report was critical ofVodafone for the catastrophic failure[94] of an emergency helpline hosted on a platform provided byContent Guru, saying that delays in getting information caused "significant stress and upset" to families.[95] It also criticised some news media, saying, 'To have experienced such intrusive and overbearing behaviour at a time of such enormous vulnerability seemed to us to be completely and utterly unacceptable', but noting that, 'We recognise that this was some, but by no means all of the media and that the media also have a positive and important role to play.'[96]
Salman Abedi
Salman Abedi, bomber of Manchester Arena
The bomber, Salman Ramadan Abedi (31 December 1994 – 22 May 2017) was identified as a 22-year-oldBritish Muslim of Libyan ancestry.[97][98] According toUS intelligence sources, Abedi was identified by thebank card that he had with him and the identification was confirmed usingfacial recognition technology.[99] He was born in Manchester to aSalafi[100] family of Libyan-born refugees who had settled in south Manchester after fleeing to the United Kingdom to escape the government ofMuammar Gaddafi. He had two brothers and a sister.[101][102] Abedi grew up inWhalley Range and lived inFallowfield.[103] Neighbours described the Abedis as a very traditional and 'super religious' family,[104][105] who regularly attendedDidsbury Mosque.[103][106][107] Abedi attendedWellacre Technology College,Burnage Academy for Boys[108] andThe Manchester College. A former tutor remarked that Abedi was 'a very slow, uneducated and passive person'.[109] He was among a group of students at his high school who accused a teacher ofIslamophobia for asking them what they thought of suicide bombers.[110][111] He also reportedly said to his friends that being a suicide bomber 'was okay' and fellow college students raised concerns about his behaviour.[112]
Abedi's father was a member of theLibyan Islamic Fighting Group, aSalafi jihadist organisation proscribed by theUnited Nations,[113] and father and son fought for the group in Libya in 2011 as part of the movement tooverthrow Muammar Gaddafi.[109] Abedi's parents, both born inTripoli, remained in Libya in 2011,[103] while 17-year-old Abedi returned to live in the United Kingdom. He took agap year in 2014, when he returned with his brother Hashem to Libya to live with his parents. Abedi was injured inAjdabiya that year while fighting for an Islamist group.[114] The brothers were rescued from Tripoli by theRoyal Navy survey shipHMS Enterprise in August 2014 as part of a group of 110 British citizens as theLibyan civil war erupted, taken toMalta and flown back to the UK.[115][116] According to a retired European intelligence officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, Abedi met with members of the ISISBattar brigade inSabratha, Libya and continued to be in contact with the group upon his return to the UK.[117] Animam atDidsbury mosque recalled that Abedi looked at him with hate after he preached againstISIS andAnsar al-Sharia in 2015.[118]
According to an acquaintance, Abedi was 'outgoing' and consumed alcohol,[119] while another said that he was a 'regular kid who went out and drank' until about 2016.[120] Abedi was also known to have used cannabis.[101][119] He enrolled at theUniversity of Salford in September 2014, where he studiedbusiness administration, before dropping out to work in abakery.[101] Manchester police believe Abedi usedstudent loans to finance the plot, including travel overseas to learn bomb-making.[121]The Guardian reported that despite dropping out from further education, he was still receiving student loan funding in April 2017.[122]
He was known to British security services and police but was not regarded as a high risk, having been linked to petty crime but never flagged up for radical views.[106][123] A community worker told the BBC he had called a hotline five years before the bombing to warn police about Abedi's views and members of Britain'sLibyan diaspora said they had 'warned authorities for years' about Manchester'sIslamistradicalisation.[73][124] Abedi was allegedly reported to authorities for hisextremism by five community leaders and family members and had been banned from a mosque;[125][126][127] theChief Constable of Greater Manchester, however, said Abedi was not known to thePrevent anti-radicalisation programme.[128]
On 29 May 2017,MI5 launched an internal inquiry into its handling of the warnings it had received about Abedi and a second, 'more in depth' inquiry, into how it missed the danger.[129][130][131] On 22 November 2018, theIntelligence and Security Committee of Parliament published a report which said that MI5 had acted 'too slowly' in its dealings with Abedi. The committee's report noted 'What we can say is that there were a number of a failings in the handling of Salman Abedi's case. While it is impossible to say whether these would have prevented the devastating attack on 22 May, we have concluded that as a result of the failings, potential opportunities to prevent it were missed.'[132]
Hashem Abedi
Abedi's younger brother, Hashem (born 8 April 1997), was arrested byLibyan security forces on 23 May.[133] Hashem was suspected of planning an attack in Libya, was said to be in regular touch with Salman and was aware of the plan to bomb the arena,[134] but not the date.[135] On 1 November 2017, the UK requested Libya toextradite Hashem to return to the United Kingdom, in order to face trial.[46]
On 17 July 2019, Hashem was charged withmurder,attempted murder andconspiracy to cause an explosion. He had been arrested in Libya andextradited to the United Kingdom.[136] His trial began on 5 February 2020.[137] On 17 March, Hashem Abedi was found guilty on 22 charges of murder, on the grounds that he had helped his brother to source the materials used in the bombing and had assisted with the manufacture of the explosives which were used in the attack.[138][139] On 20 August, Hashem Abedi was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 55 years. The judge,Jeremy Baker, said that sentencing rules prevented him from imposing awhole life order as Abedi had been 20 years old at the time of the offence. The minimum age for a whole life order is 21 years old. Abedi's 55-year minimum term is the longest minimum term ever imposed by a British court.[140][141]
On 12 April 2025, Hashem Abedi attacked prison officers atHM Prison Frankland by throwing hotcooking oil on them, and stabbed them withmakeshift weapons. Three officers were hospitalised with serious injuries. The incident occurred in a separation centre for prisoners regarded as dangerous and extremist. Abedi had previously been convicted for assaulting prison officers atHM Prison Belmarsh in 2022.[142]
Ismail Abedi
In October 2021, it was reported that Abedi's older brother, Ismail, had left the United Kingdom. He had beensummonsed by JudgeJohn Saunders to testify before the public inquiry into the bombing. Saunders had refused Ismail's request for immunity from prosecution while testifying.[143] Ismail was found guiltyin absentia of failing to comply with a legal notice and a warrant was issued for his arrest.[144]
According to the Kerslake Report, security at the arena was insufficient. Although bag searches were performed, they were inconsistent; Abedi entered through the City Room, which was outside of the security zone.[148]
Conspiracy theorist
In October 2024, two survivors of the bombing won a harassment case, in the High Court, against former television producer Richard Hall, who had claimed without evidence that the attack was an elaborate hoax by British government agencies and that no one was genuinely injured. High Court judgeMrs Justice Steyn said, in a written ruling, that the claimants had succeeded in their harassment claim. She added that a separate data protection claim would be decided at a later stage.[149] In November 2024, the court awarded £45,000 in damages for the harassment, £22,500 to be paid to each survivor.[150]
The Glade of Light opened in 2022 to commemorate the victims of the bombing.
The victims of the bombing are commemorated byThe Glade of Light, a garden memorial located in Manchester city centre nearManchester Cathedral.[151] The memorial opened to the public on 5 January 2022 and an official opening event took place 10 May 2022.[152][153]
The memorial was vandalised on 9 February 2022, causing £10,000 of damage. A 24-year-old man admitted to the offence and was given a two-year community order on 22 June 2022.[154]
^Ian Cobain; Frances Perraudin; Steven Morris; Nazia Parveen."Salman Ramadan Abedi named by police as Manchester Arena attacker".The Guardian.Archived from the original on 26 May 2017. Retrieved27 May 2017.Salman and his brother Ismail worshipped at Didsbury mosque, where their father, who is known as Abu Ismail within the community, is a well-known figure. "He used to do the five and call the adhan. He has an absolutely beautiful voice. And his boys learned the Qur'an by heart.
^Robert Mendick; Martin Evans; Victoria Ward."Exclusive: Manchester suicide bomber used student loan and benefits to fund terror plot".The Telegraph.Archived from the original on 27 May 2017. Retrieved27 May 2017.The Manchester suicide bomber used taxpayer-funded student loans and benefits to bankroll the terror plot, police believe. Salman Abedi is understood to have received thousands of pounds in state funding in the run up to Monday's atrocity even while he was overseas receiving bomb-making training.
^Ian Cobain; Ewen MacAskill."Police focus on Libya amid reports of arrest of Salman Abedi's brother".The Guardian.Archived from the original on 27 May 2017. Retrieved27 May 2017.Abedi studied business and management at Salford University two or three years ago, but dropped out of the course and did not complete his degree. The Guardian understands he was receiving student loan payments as recently as last month.
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