Manchester Arena bombing victims' families claim MI5 trying to 'wriggle out of justice'

More than 250 radical whose lives were devastated by the atrocity astatine the Ariana Grande performance successful 2017 person teamed up to writer MI5 - saying it failed to enactment connected quality that could person stopped the atrocity

Families of the Manchester Arena weaponry victims assertion MI5 chiefs are trying to “wriggle retired of justice”.

More than 250 radical whose lives were devastated by the atrocity astatine the Ariana Grande performance successful 2017 person teamed up to writer the quality service. They accidental MI5 failed to enactment connected quality that could person stopped the atrocity. But MI5’s lawyers assertion it is excessively precocious to instrumentality them to court, according to the Sunday Times.

Charlotte Hodgson, mum of unfortunate Olivia Campbell-Hardy, 15, was “disgusted” by MI5’s response. She said: “We privation the truth, we privation justice. I americium sick of these companies and organisations trying to wriggle retired of justness for my daughter.” The weaponry killed 22 radical and injured much than 1,000.

Lawyers representing those injured said they person submitted a radical assertion to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal. This quality came a twelvemonth aft a nationalist enquiry recovered MI5 missed a important accidental to instrumentality enactment that mightiness person stopped the bombing, with the service’s director-general Ken McCallum admitting that helium was “profoundly sorry”.

But MI5’s ineligible squad reportedly wants the assertion thrown retired connected a technicality, arsenic it was lodged much than 12 months aft the attack. But survivors and victims’ families reason the grounds of missed quality emerged lone during the inquiry, which published its last study successful March 2023.

The backstage assertion was lodged by Hudgell Solicitors, Slater and Gordon and Broudie Jackson Canter, who accidental MI5’s actions fell abbreviated of its requirements nether the Human Rights Act. The IPT hears quality rights complaints against the quality services and police.

The judicial assemblage whitethorn probe older complaints connected a discretionary ground but indispensable not uncover accusation contrary to the nationalist involvement oregon nationalist security. Its sheet is made up of judges, barristers and solicitors. A proceeding is acceptable for November 5.

The dada of youngest victim, Saffie-Rose Roussos, eight, is thought to beryllium among those suing. Salman Abedi, 22, known to MI5, detonated a weaponry successful his rucksack arsenic crowds near the gig. The enquiry heard MI5 did not stock quality connected Abedi with section antagonistic panic police. Abedi whitethorn person had the weaponry power successful his pouch erstwhile helium arrived astatine Manchester Airport from Libya 4 days before, the enquiry recovered successful 2023.

A unrecorded probe mightiness person led to him being searched. The Home Office said it cannot remark connected ongoing ineligible proceedings.