Manchester bombers’ brother apologizes to victims, families

The brother of the two men responsible for the Manchester Arena bombing has said he is sorry for the pain suffered by the victims and their families. (File/AFP)

• On Thursday, Hashem Abedi, 23, was sentenced to a record 55 years in prison for his role in orchestrating the attack
• Ismail Abedi, 27, apologized on Friday for what the pair had done, in his first public statement since the attack

LONDON: The brother of the two men responsible for the Manchester Arena bombing has said he is sorry for the pain suffered by the victims and their families. 
Salman Abedi detonated an explosive device at a pop concert in May 2017, killing 23 people, including himself, and seriously injuring hundreds of others in a crowd that consisted predominantly of children and young people. The youngest victim was just 8 years old.
On Thursday, Hashem Abedi, 23, was sentenced to a record 55 years in prison for his role in orchestrating the attack.
Their brother Ismail Abedi, 27, apologized on Friday for what the pair had done, in his first public statement since the attack.
“I want to apologize on behalf of my family to the victims for all the pain Hashem and Salman caused,” he said.
He told Sky News that he had spoken to Salman the night before the attack but had “no idea” of what was to come. “He seemed calm, quite normal. There was no indication he’d do anything like this.”
Ismail said: “The past three years have been hell. I’ve lost two brothers and my family is ripped apart because of it. What has happened has happened. I can’t stop it now. I can’t go back. He died, they died.”
He added that he was now hoping to draw a line under the past few years. Ismail himself was arrested by UK counterterrorism police after the attack, but was released without charge after two weeks of questioning.