Libya: Manchester attacker’s father, younger brother arrested in Tripoli

TOPICS:Libya Manchester attacker Tripoli

Scenes of unity after Manchester terror attack A woman is consoled as she looks at the floral tributes following an evening vigil outside the Town Hall on May 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. Picture: Getty Candles and flowers are seen after a vigil in Albert Square, Manchester, England, Tuesday May 23, 2017, the day after the terror attack at an Ariana Grande. Picture: AP Des Richardson, owner of Canine Motorcycle Recovery, hands out free food and drink to police and public following an evening vigil outside the Town Hall on May 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. Mr Richardson had decided to spend an unexpected bonus on free food for volunteers following the terrorist attack and, on mentioning this in the supermarket, was given two extra trolleys of stock to give away. Picture: Getty People pray and light candles set up in front of floral tributes in Albert Square in Manchester, northwest England on May 23, 2017. Picture: AFP A tribute is laid at a candlelit vigil, to honour the victims of Monday evening’s terror attack, at Albert Square on May 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. Picture: Getty People attend a vigil in Albert Square, Manchester, England, Tuesday May 23, 2017, the day after the suicide attack at an Ariana Grande concert. Picture: AP Members of the public gather to attend a candlelit vigil, to honour the victims of Monday evening’s terror attack, at Albert Square on May 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. Picture: Getty People from Manchester Sikh Community carry “I love MCR” banners as they arrive to attend a vigil in Albert Square in Manchester, northwest England on May 23, 2017, in solidarity with those killed an injured in the May 22 terror attack at the Ariana Grande concert. Picture: AFP Crowds gather for a vigil in Albert Square, Manchester, England, Tuesday May 23, 2017, the day after the terror attack at an Ariana Grande concert. Picture: AP A man hands out free bottles of water as members of the public gather at a vigil, to honour the victims of Monday evening’s terror attack, at Albert Square on May 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. Picture: Getty Members of the public gather at a candlelit vigil, to honour the victims of Monday evening’s terror attack, at Albert Square on May 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. Picture: Getty A message is written on the pavement in Manchester, England, Tuesday May 23, 2017, the day after the terror attack at an Ariana Grande concert. Picture: AP Four people hold up signs which say ‘Turn to Love for Manchester’ during a vigil for the victims of yesterday’s Manchester Arena terror attack in Trafalgar Square on May 23, 2017 in London, England. Picture: Getty People hold up signs which say ‘Turn to Love for Manchester’ during a vigil for the victims of yesterday’s Manchester Arena terror attack in Trafalgar Square on May 23, 2017 in London, England. Picture: Getty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh observe a minute’s silence in honour of the victims of the attack at Manchester Arena at the start of a garden party at Buckingham Palace on May 23, 2017 in London, England. Picture: Getty Guests observe a minute’s silence in honour of the victims of the attack at Manchester Arena at the start of a garden party at Buckingham Palace on May 23, 2017 in London, England. Picture: Getty A man carrying a floral tribute walks past a “We Love MCR” sign which have been put up all around the city after last nights terrorist attack. May 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. Picture: Getty Members of the public lay flowers in St Ann Square on Tuesday, May 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. Picture: Getty An armed police stand guard speaks with two young women at Albert Square, Manchester, England Tuesday May 23, 2017. Picture: AP A woman makes her way to lay flowers in St Ann Square on Tuesday, May 23, 2017 in Manchester,England. Picture: Getty Floral tributes are seen in Manchester, England, Tuesday May 23, 2017, the day after the terror attack at an Ariana Grande concert. Picture: AP Police officers relocate floral tributes in St Ann’s Square in Manchester, northwest England on May 23, 2017, laid as a mark of respect to those in killed and injured following a deadly terror attack at the concert at the Manchester Arena the night before. Picture: AFP Police officers relocate floral tributes in St Ann’s Square in Manchester, northwest England on May 23, 2017, laid as a mark of respect to those in killed and injured following a deadly terror attack at the concert at the Manchester Arena the night before. Picture: AFP Crowds of people wait outside after police avacuated the Arndale Centre on May 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. Picture: Getty Retail staff hug each other after being evacuated from the Arndale Centre shopping mall in Manchester, northwest England on May 23, 2017 following a security alert the day after a deadly terror attack at the Manchester Arena. Picture: AFP British police officers distribute leaflets to members of the public, in central London on May 23, 2017, giving them advice on who to call if they spot something they deem to be suspicious or terrorist-related. Picture: AFP People sit under a billboard in Manchester city centre, Tuesday May 23, 2017, the day after the terror attack at an Ariana Grande concert. Picture: AP Police officers stand on duty outside a house in Fallowfield, Manchester, in northwest England on May 23, 2017, as they search the resdiential property following the May 22 deadly terror attack at the Ariana Grande concert. Picture: AFP Police forensic investigators search the property of Salmon Abedi in connection with the explosion that took place at the Manchester Arena, in Greater Manchester, England, Tuesday, May 23, 2017. Picture: AP Police officers stand on duty on a cordoned-off road in Fallowfield, Manchester, in northwest England on May 23, 2017, as they search a nearby resdiential property following the May 22 terror attack. Picture: AFP A woman is consoled as she looks at the floral tributes following an evening vigil outside the Town Hall on May 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. Picture: GettyCandles and flowers are seen after a vigil in Albert Square, Manchester, England, Tuesday May 23, 2017, the day after the terror attack at an Ariana Grande. Picture: APDes Richardson, owner of Canine Motorcycle Recovery, hands out free food and drink to police and public following an evening vigil outside the Town Hall on May 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. Mr Richardson had decided to spend an unexpected bonus on free food for volunteers following the terrorist attack and, on mentioning this in the supermarket, was given two extra trolleys of stock to give away. Picture: GettyPeople pray and light candles set up in front of floral tributes in Albert Square in Manchester, northwest England on May 23, 2017. Picture: AFPA tribute is laid at a candlelit vigil, to honour the victims of Monday evening’s terror attack, at Albert Square on May 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. Picture: GettyPeople attend a vigil in Albert Square, Manchester, England, Tuesday May 23, 2017, the day after the suicide attack at an Ariana Grande concert. Picture: APMembers of the public gather to attend a candlelit vigil, to honour the victims of Monday evening’s terror attack, at Albert Square on May 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. Picture: GettyPeople from Manchester Sikh Community carry “I love MCR” banners as they arrive to attend a vigil in Albert Square in Manchester, northwest England on May 23, 2017, in solidarity with those killed an injured in the May 22 terror attack at the Ariana Grande concert. Picture: AFPCrowds gather for a vigil in Albert Square, Manchester, England, Tuesday May 23, 2017, the day after the terror attack at an Ariana Grande concert. Picture: APA man hands out free bottles of water as members of the public gather at a vigil, to honour the victims of Monday evening’s terror attack, at Albert Square on May 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. Picture: GettyMembers of the public gather at a candlelit vigil, to honour the victims of Monday evening’s terror attack, at Albert Square on May 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. Picture: GettyA message is written on the pavement in Manchester, England, Tuesday May 23, 2017, the day after the terror attack at an Ariana Grande concert. Picture: APFour people hold up signs which say ‘Turn to Love for Manchester’ during a vigil for the victims of yesterday’s Manchester Arena terror attack in Trafalgar Square on May 23, 2017 in London, England. Picture: GettyPeople hold up signs which say ‘Turn to Love for Manchester’ during a vigil for the victims of yesterday’s Manchester Arena terror attack in Trafalgar Square on May 23, 2017 in London, England. Picture: GettyQueen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh observe a minute’s silence in honour of the victims of the attack at Manchester Arena at the start of a garden party at Buckingham Palace on May 23, 2017 in London, England. Picture: GettyGuests observe a minute’s silence in honour of the victims of the attack at Manchester Arena at the start of a garden party at Buckingham Palace on May 23, 2017 in London, England. Picture: GettyA man carrying a floral tribute walks past a “We Love MCR” sign which have been put up all around the city after last nights terrorist attack. May 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. Picture: GettyMembers of the public lay flowers in St Ann Square on Tuesday, May 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. Picture: GettyAn armed police stand guard speaks with two young women at Albert Square, Manchester, England Tuesday May 23, 2017. Picture: APA woman makes her way to lay flowers in St Ann Square on Tuesday, May 23, 2017 in Manchester,England. Picture: GettyFloral tributes are seen in Manchester, England, Tuesday May 23, 2017, the day after the terror attack at an Ariana Grande concert. Picture: APPolice officers relocate floral tributes in St Ann’s Square in Manchester, northwest England on May 23, 2017, laid as a mark of respect to those in killed and injured following a deadly terror attack at the concert at the Manchester Arena the night before. Picture: AFPPolice officers relocate floral tributes in St Ann’s Square in Manchester, northwest England on May 23, 2017, laid as a mark of respect to those in killed and injured following a deadly terror attack at the concert at the Manchester Arena the night before. Picture: AFPCrowds of people wait outside after police avacuated the Arndale Centre on May 23, 2017 in Manchester, England. Picture: GettyRetail staff hug each other after being evacuated from the Arndale Centre shopping mall in Manchester, northwest England on May 23, 2017 following a security alert the day after a deadly terror attack at the Manchester Arena. Picture: AFPBritish police officers distribute leaflets to members of the public, in central London on May 23, 2017, giving them advice on who to call if they spot something they deem to be suspicious or terrorist-related. Picture: AFPPeople sit under a billboard in Manchester city centre, Tuesday May 23, 2017, the day after the terror attack at an Ariana Grande concert. Picture: APPolice officers stand on duty outside a house in Fallowfield, Manchester, in northwest England on May 23, 2017, as they search the resdiential property following the May 22 deadly terror attack at the Ariana Grande concert. Picture: AFPPolice forensic investigators search the property of Salmon Abedi in connection with the explosion that took place at the Manchester Arena, in Greater Manchester, England, Tuesday, May 23, 2017. Picture: APPolice officers stand on duty on a cordoned-off road in Fallowfield, Manchester, in northwest England on May 23, 2017, as they search a nearby resdiential prop

Posted By: Michael Onas May 25, 2017

TRIPOLI (Reuters) – The father and the younger brother of the suicide bomber who killed 22 people at a concert venue in Manchester have been arrested in Tripoli, a spokesman for a local counter-terrorism force said on Wednesday.

The counter-terrorism force detained the father, Ramadan Abedi, outside his home in the Tripoli suburb of Ayn Zara on Wednesday afternoon. A witness said he was handcuffed by armed men who drove him away in two unmarked vehicles.

The force, known as Rada, detained the brother Hashem Abedi, who was born in 1997, on Tuesday evening on suspicion of links to Islamic State, spokesman Ahmed Bin Salem said. He did not give any details on the reasons why the father was arrested.

But Hashem Abedi had been in touch with attacker Salman Abedi, Bin Salem said, and was suspected of planning to carry out an attack in the Libyan capital.

“We have evidence that he is involved in Daesh (Islamic State) with his brother. We have been following him for more than one month and a half,” Bin Salem said. “He was in contact with his brother and he knew about the attack.”

He said the younger brother had traveled from London to Tripoli on April 16.

Salman Abedi, 22, was born in Britain to Libyan parents. Britain’s interior minister said earlier that he had recently returned from Libya and had likely not acted alone. His father lives in Tripoli.

(Reporting by Ahmed Elumami; Writing by Aidan Lewis, Editing by Patrick Markey and Angus MacSwan)

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Michael Onas