More than 250 individuals affected by the 2017 terror attack at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester have filed a lawsuit against British intelligence, citing negligence in preventing the tragedy that resulted in 22 deaths and left over 100 injured.
According to reports by AP, the lawsuit has been filed through Britain’s Investigatory Powers Tribunal by attorneys from three different law firms representing the victims and their families.
Details of the Attack and Investigation
The attack occurred on May 22, 2017, when suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated an explosive device at Manchester Arena during the concert's finale. The explosion caused significant casualties, predominantly among young fans.
The terrorist group "Islamic State" claimed responsibility for the attack.
An official investigation conducted last year identified several missed opportunities by MI5, the UK's domestic counter-intelligence and security agency.
The main focus of the criticism was directed at MI5 for not acting promptly on crucial intelligence that could have potentially stopped Abedi, who had been previously identified as a "person of interest" in 2014 but was later deemed a low threat.
One MI5 officer had recognized Abedi as a potential national security threat but failed to act swiftly enough to reassess the risk he posed.
MI5's Response
In response to the findings, Ken McCallum, the head of MI5, expressed "deep regret" over the agency’s inability to prevent the attack, acknowledging the shortcomings in handling the intelligence related to Abedi.
Despite these admissions, the victims and their families are seeking accountability through the legal system, aiming to ensure that such failures are not repeated.
The lawsuit represents one of the largest collective legal actions against British intelligence concerning a terrorist attack.
