The UK government has launched a formal review after Hashem Abedi, jailed for his involvement in the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, allegedly assaulted prison officers with hot oil and improvised weapons.
Abedi, who is serving a life sentence for aiding the suicide bombing carried out by his brother Salman Abedi, reportedly doused three prison staff with cooking oil before stabbing them using makeshift weapons at HMP Frankland, a high-security prison in Durham, on Saturday.
According to the Prison Officers’ Association, the attack left two officers seriously injured and hospitalised, while a third was treated and discharged.
Counter-terror police confirmed on Saturday that Abedi had been detained following the incident and that an investigation was underway.
“This was a serious assault, and we are taking the matter extremely seriously,” a police spokesperson said.
A justice ministry spokesperson said on Sunday, “There will be a full review into how this attack was able to happen, alongside the separate police inquiry. The government will do whatever it takes to keep our hardworking staff safe.”
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood expressed her outrage, saying she was “appalled” by the assault and vowed to push for the “strongest possible punishment.”
“Violence against our staff will never be tolerated,” she stated on social media.
Hashem Abedi was sentenced in 2020 to a minimum of 55 years in prison for his role in the 2017 bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, which killed 22 people and injured hundreds.
He was found to have played a crucial part in planning the Islamic State-inspired attack, alongside his brother.
