Hashem Abedi, brother of the Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi, has denied any involvement in the terror attack that killed 22 people in 2017.
Today, the Old Bailey heard of Hashem’s involvement in purchasing toxic materials and chemicals to create explosive devices in the Manchester Arena bombings which happened in 2017.
Manchester born Hasham, 22, is accused of lying to friends and family to gain access into their online shopping accounts. Mohammed Younis Soliman was one of the acquaintances whose Amazon account was used to buy 10 litres of sulphuric acid.
Order history on the site shows the purchase occurred on 15th March 2017, a week before the deadly event.
Prosecutor Duncan Penny QC said police had examined and digitally downloaded Mr Soliman’s phone on 23rd March 2017.
“Later on, when these matters were being investigated, a link between Mr Soliman, his purchase of 10 litres of sulphuric acid and the brothers Hashem Abedi and Salman Abedi was identified,” he said.
The jury at the Hashem Abedi trial has been shown a CCTV image of his brother Salman Abedi with a rucksack on his back standing in the City Room just outside the Manchester Arena 15 seconds before he detonated the bomb surrounded by concert goers & people waiting to collect them
— Daniel Sandford (@BBCDanielS) February 7, 2020
Hashem told the court he had no knowledge of his brothers intentions, stating he would have “reported it to [his] mother” if he had suspicions over his siblings murderous mission.
In a statement made to police last summer and read before the jury today, he said he did not think his brother “had it in him”.
Hashem was arrested in Libya – where he was reportedly tortured by “militia men”- the day after the atrocity. Police officials then sent him back to the UK to face interrogation over claims he was complicit in stockpiling parts for the bomb detonated by his brother.
The former electrical installation student said despite being a practising Muslim, he does not hold any extremist views, and does not support the terrorist group Islamic State.
He denies all counts of murder, one count of attempted murder encompassing the injured survivors, and conspiring with his brother to cause explosions.
Hashem Abedi then says: “I have no knowledge of the appropriation, preparation and construction of improvised explosive devices and their constituent parts including any locations used, associated equipment required, individuals involved and any wider network of support.”
— Daniel Sandford (@BBCDanielS) February 7, 2020
Mr Penny told the jury of a hired car, a Nissan Micra, used by the brothers for 24 hours on the 13th and 14th April. also told the jury about a third car, a Nissan Micra, in the brothers’ possession for just over 24 hours on 13th and 14th April.
After the bombing, the same car was found parked in the Rusholme area with bags of screw, nails and more than 10 litres of sulphuric acid. Mr Penny also said that Hashem’s fingerprints were discovered in the Micra.
“Has all this happened under this defendant’s nose without him realising anything about what was really going on as he was later to claim?” Mr Penny said.
The trial continues.