Manchester Arena suicide bomber Salman Abedi should have been identified as a threat on the night of the attack by those in charge of security, a public inquiry into the May 2017 attack has found.
In his report examining security arrangements at the venue where 22 people were murdered and hundreds were injured at the end of an Ariana Grande concert, inquiry chairman Sir John Saunders found there were a number of missed opportunities to prevent or minimise the “devastating impact”.
Sir John said he considered it likely Salman Abedi would still have detonated his device if confronted but the loss of life and injury is highly likely to have been less. He said that there were serious shortcomings in the security provided by the British Transport Police (BTP) among others as well as mistakes from individuals on the night.
The Inquiry had heard that uniformed officers from British Transport Police were tasked to patrol Victoria station, including the City Room of the Arena, but when the bomb was detonated there were none in the foyer despite instructions that one officer should be positioned there at the end of the concert.
It also emerged two BTP officers took an unacceptable two-hour shift break, including a drive out to buy kebabs, with no officers on duty at the time Abedi, seen struggling to walk with his rucksack, made his final approach to take up position in the City Room.
Sir John said: No-one knows what Salman Abedi would have done had he been confronted before 10.31pm. We know that only one of the 22 killed entered the City Room before 10.14pm. Eleven of those who were killed came from the Arena concourse doors into the City Room after 10.30pm.
He added: The security arrangements for the Manchester Arena should have prevented or minimised the devastating impact of the attack. They failed to do so. There were a number of opportunities which were missed leading to this failure.
Salman Abedi should have been identified on 22nd May 2017 as a threat by those responsible for the security of Arena and a disruptive intervention undertaken. Had that occurred, I consider it likely that Salman Abedi would still have detonated his device, but the loss of life and injury is highly likely to have been less.
Sir John said Arena operator SMG, its security provider Showsec and British Transport Police, who patrolled the area adjoining Manchester Victoria rail station, were principally responsible for the missed opportunities.
Hearings at the public inquiry into the circumstances leading up to and surrounding the attack have been ongoing in the city since September last year. Inquiry chairman retired High Court judge Sir John Saunders issued his findings on a rolling basis, split into three volumes.
A further report will follow on the emergency response and the experience of each of those who died, and finally an analysis of whether the atrocity committed by Salman Abedi, 22, could have been prevented. His first report to Home Secretary Priti Patel on the security arrangements within and outside the Arena was published at 2pm.
Manchester-born Abedi, of Libyan descent, walked across the City Room foyer of the venue towards the main doors and detonated his shrapnel-laden device, packed into his bulging rucksack, at 10.31pm on May 22 just as thousands, including many children, left the concert.
Representing 11 families of Manchester arena victims, Victoria Higgins, of Slater and Gordon said: “The release of this report and the Chairman’s findings is the start of the families getting answers within the Inquiry process.
From our brief reading of the report today, we and the families welcome this and hope the organisations facing criticism take heed of the recommendations which have the potential to save lives in the future. The families thank the Chair for the time he has taken over this chapter in considering all the evidence presented to him.
It is distressing for them to see it all laid out in this way but urge those who have the authority to make sure every possible step is taken to prevent something so devastating and on such a huge scale from occurring again. SMG, operators of the Manchester Arena, said it was truly sorry.
A statement from the firm said: On 22 May 2017, 22 innocent people tragically lost their lives and many others were injured when a terrorist detonated a bomb. The attack shocked the nation and the devastating impact was felt far beyond the City of Manchester.
The impact was also felt across the industry and the environment in which we all operated changed dramatically that evening. During the Inquiry process, the experts stated that they did not see evidence that the security operation in place at Manchester Arena was out of step with the operations being used at other comparable venues.
In fact, the standards that we adopted were in line with published industry guidance at the time. However, this doesn’t give us any comfort. Our guests came to the arena to enjoy a show but were met with a horrific tragedy. For that we are truly sorry.
In a statement, arena security provider Showsec said: The chairman, Sir John Saunders and the inquiry legal team have put an enormous amount of work and effort into this important public inquiry. Figen Murray, mother of Martyn Hett, said: I am really so, so humbled to see that the whole report is steeped in deep respect for us as families.
It’s clear from the first report of the inquiry that venue security needs to be improved to help prevent further terrorist attacks. I and supporters of Martyn’s Law welcome the recommendations. It shows that sufficient protection and preparation for any potential incident is an obligation for venue holders.
The past nine months have been extremely difficult for all the families as we listened to what happened that night. But now after this report we are one step closer to ensuring that a difference can be made.
Sitting at Manchester Magistrates Court, Manchester Arena Inquiry chair Sir John Saunders said: I have concluded that there were serious shortcomings in the security provided by those organisations which had responsibility for it and also failings and mistakes made by some individuals.
When the mistakes and shortcomings set out in the report are considered, it needs to be at the forefront of that consideration that responsibility for what happened, and for causing so many deaths and serious injuries, lies with Salman Abedi, the suicide bomber, and his brother Hashem, who assisted him with the preparations. Hashem Abedi is now serving sentences of life imprisonment for offences including the murders of 22 people.
The brothers intended to cause as much harm as they could. No other person or organisation acted with the intention of causing any injury or with any idea their actions or lack of action would or could assist a suicide bomber to carry out his evil intentions.