Manchester Arena bomber attacks prison officers

Counter-terrorism police are leading the investigation into an attack on three prison officers by Hashem Abedi, one of the men responsible for the Manchester Arena bombing.

The officers sustained life-threatening injuries on Saturday including burns, scalds and stab wounds in the attack at HMP Frankland in County Durham, the Prison Officers' Association said.

Abedi, 28, who was jailed for life for helping his brother carry out the 2017 suicide bombing, threw hot cooking oil over the officers and used "home made weapons" to stab them, the organisation said.

The Prison Service confirmed three officers have been treated in hospital after an attack by a prisoner.

Counter-terrorism policing (CTP)'s Cdr Dom Murphy said: "Given the nature of the incident, it has been agreed that CTP North East will lead the investigation, supported by Durham Constabulary.

"This is an ongoing investigation which is in its early stages, and we are working hard to establish the facts. Therefore, we are unable to comment further at this time."

Two men and a woman were injured, with the latter since discharged from hospital.

A prison officer at HMP Frankland told BBC News "staff are shaken by what's happened".

"It's a difficult day at the prison when colleagues are seriously hurt. You can't help asking yourself why you do this job when something like this happens," they added.

Abedi's brother Salman Abedi carried out the Manchester Arena bombing which killed 22 people.

After Hashem Abedi was named by the Prison Officers' Association as being involved in the attack, a government source confirmed to the BBC he was the prisoner involved.

He was found guilty in 2020 of 22 counts of murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to cause an explosion likely to endanger life and sentenced to a minimum term of at least 55 years before he could be considered for parole.

The sentence was a record for a determinate prison term.

In 2022, Abedi, along with two others, was found guilty of a previous "vicious attack" on two prison officers at Belmarsh Prison in south-east London. For this attack he received a sentence of three years and 10 months - which was added to his previous minimum term.

Saturday's attack took place in a separation centre at Frankland used to hold the country's most dangerous and influential extremist prisoners. The centre holds less than 10 inmates. Abedi has been a long-term resident.

Following the incident, the chair of the Prison Officers' Association, Mark Fairhurst, said the freedoms given to prisoners in these centres should be reviewed.

"I am of the opinion that allowing access to cooking facilities and items that can threaten the lives of staff should be removed immediately," Mr Fairhurst said.

"These prisoners need only receive their basic entitlements and we should concentrate on control and containment instead of attempting to appease them. Things have to change."

Former prison governor John Podmore told the BBC this incident was a "catastrophic security failure" as he underlined this unit holds the "most violent and dangerous" offenders.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: "I am appalled by the attack of three brave officers at HMP Frankland today. My thoughts are with them and their families.

"The police are now investigating. I will be pushing for the strongest possible punishment. Violence against our staff will never be tolerated."

Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick called the attack "extremely concerning".

"There are serious concerns about the prison leadership's ability to contain the threat from Islamist extremist inmates," he said.

"This deeply serious security failure must be a turning point," he added as he referenced a previous social media post of his titled "Britain's prisons are being overrun by Islamist gangs".

A spokesperson for the Prison Service said violence in prisons "will not be tolerated".

"We will always push for the strongest punishment for attacks on our hardworking staff."

Additional reporting by Cachella Smith