Salman Abedi, 22, identified as the person who blew himself up and killed 22 others at a Manchester concert on Monday night, was known by the secret services, yet family and friends expressed shock when they learned about what he did.
Abedi was born to Libyan parents who moved to the UK to escape Gaddafi. He’s was called a silent child while growing up, but reportedly became “radicalized” after taking numerous trips back to Libya once his parents moved back to their home country. His parents’ home is close to the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) group.
Manchester bombing: Salman Abedi’s family warned security he was “dangerous” claims US: https://t.co/P6eNEmx7Zo pic.twitter.com/EN2xaYq7ID
— Daily Express (@Daily_Express) May 24, 2017
“My best guess is that Salman was radicalized while he was living in Libya, not while he was here. There are groups like Isis operating out there so it’s more likely it happened there,” said Mohamed Fadil, who once attended mosque at the Didsbury Central Mosque with Abedi’s family. “His family will be boiling. They will be very angry. I know they don’t approve of this. No human being would approve of this.”
When Abedi’s father, Ramadan Abedi, found out what happened, he denied that his son was involved. He said another of his sons was also arrested in connection with the attack, but he does not believe either son was involved.
“We don’t believe in killing innocents. This is not us.”
Ramadan Abedi also said he spoke to his son just five days prior to the attack, and said that Salman Abedi told him he was on his way to Saudi Arabia to spend time with family during the “holy month of Ramadan.”
Salman Abedi was the third child of four children. Friends said that the news that he was responsible came as a shock since he was “not the sort of kid that stood out” and never much cared for any type of religion. Others said he liked to smoke marijuana. When the attacks happened, he was reportedly living in the UK with his older brother, Ismail, while taking frequent trips to Libya. A large Iraqi flag hung from the window of his home off of Elsmore Road, in Manchester.
A total of 22 people were killed on Monday night at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester. Abedi strapped a homemade bomb to his body and blew it up as concert goers began exiting the arena. An additional 119 people were injured.
[Feature Photo: Handout]
