Manchester Arena bomber captured on CCTV 19 seconds before blast
A CCTV image taken 19 seconds before the Manchester bomber detonated his device has been shown to jurors at his brother’s trial.
Salman Abedi, 22, launched a suicide attack that left 22 people dead and hundreds more injured after an Ariana Grande concert ended on May 22 2017.
In the picture, he is seen wearing a large Karrimor rucksack standing amongst a crowd of men, women and children less than a minute before he unleashed carnage on the innocent crowd.
The attacker’s brother is accused of helping him to plan the killings.
Hashem Abedi, who was in Libya with his family at the time, has told the jury he is not an extremist and had no idea of his sibling’s plan.
He denies 22 counts of murder, one count of attempted murder encompassing the injured survivors, and conspiring with his brother to cause explosions.
All living casualties were moved out of the arena by 11.30pm and 19 people were confirmed dead at the scene, jurors heard.
The father of teen victim Meghan Hurley, 15, remained with her body until after 1am, the court was told.
Security and medical staff had given first aid and checked for signs of life immediately after the blast, with a triage medical station later set up on the Victoria Station concourse for paramedics to treat those injured.
British Transport Police officers from Victoria Station were first to arrive, while Greater Manchester Police officers checked for any ‘secondary devices’ and secured the area when they reached the scene.
Salman Abedi’s body was recovered in four parts and was riddled with nuts, wire and metal parts.
He was identified by his DNA and finger prints taken in 2012 when he was arrested for shop lifting, the court heard.
Jurors previously heard that he had travelled to the arena days before the attack and watched fans arrive for a Take That gig on May 18 2017.
On the day of the bombing, he had arranged to send £460 to Libya, jurors heard.
He was caught on CCTV footage leaving his rented flat on Granby Row with a large suitcase before returning empty-handed.
He later went out with his rucksack and took a Metrolink tram to Victoria Station in Manchester.
While waiting for it to arrive, the attacker made a call lasting just over four minutes to his family in Libya, the court heard.
He remained in the area of the Manchester Arena for two hours before detonating his device at 10.31pm.
Police forensic investigators recovered 1,675 nyloc nuts, 156 flanged nuts, 663 plain nuts and 11 fragments from the deceased, survivors and the crime scene after the bombing.
The majority of the nuts, measuring 8mm, 10mm and 12mm, had been damaged.
Numerous parts of yellow and black metal screws were also discovered, but could not be quantified accurately due to their damaged state.
During renovation works at the arena in 2019, a further 24 nuts were found.
Detectives also found metal fragments from a paint tin and lid and a drinks can.
As well as Salman Abedi’s shredded clothing, mobile phone and bank card, they found a quantity of wires, an electrical rocker switch and battery fragments.
In the picture, he is seen wearing a large Karrimor rucksack standing amongst a crowd of men, women and children less than a minute before he unleashed carnage on the innocent crowd.
The attacker’s brother is accused of helping him to plan the killings.
Hashem Abedi, who was in Libya with his family at the time, has told the jury he is not an extremist and had no idea of his sibling’s plan.
He denies 22 counts of murder, one count of attempted murder encompassing the injured survivors, and conspiring with his brother to cause explosions.
All living casualties were moved out of the arena by 11.30pm and 19 people were confirmed dead at the scene, jurors heard.
The father of teen victim Meghan Hurley, 15, remained with her body until after 1am, the court was told.
Security and medical staff had given first aid and checked for signs of life immediately after the blast, with a triage medical station later set up on the Victoria Station concourse for paramedics to treat those injured.
British Transport Police officers from Victoria Station were first to arrive, while Greater Manchester Police officers checked for any ‘secondary devices’ and secured the area when they reached the scene.
Salman Abedi’s body was recovered in four parts and was riddled with nuts, wire and metal parts.
He was identified by his DNA and finger prints taken in 2012 when he was arrested for shop lifting, the court heard.
Jurors previously heard that he had travelled to the arena days before the attack and watched fans arrive for a Take That gig on May 18 2017.
On the day of the bombing, he had arranged to send £460 to Libya, jurors heard.
He was caught on CCTV footage leaving his rented flat on Granby Row with a large suitcase before returning empty-handed.
He later went out with his rucksack and took a Metrolink tram to Victoria Station in Manchester.
While waiting for it to arrive, the attacker made a call lasting just over four minutes to his family in Libya, the court heard.
He remained in the area of the Manchester Arena for two hours before detonating his device at 10.31pm.
Police forensic investigators recovered 1,675 nyloc nuts, 156 flanged nuts, 663 plain nuts and 11 fragments from the deceased, survivors and the crime scene after the bombing.
The majority of the nuts, measuring 8mm, 10mm and 12mm, had been damaged.
Numerous parts of yellow and black metal screws were also discovered, but could not be quantified accurately due to their damaged state.
During renovation works at the arena in 2019, a further 24 nuts were found.
Detectives also found metal fragments from a paint tin and lid and a drinks can.
As well as Salman Abedi’s shredded clothing, mobile phone and bank card, they found a quantity of wires, an electrical rocker switch and battery fragments.