Hundreds of Manchester Arena bombing survivors launch legal action against MI5 ... trends now
Hundreds of survivors of the Manchester Arena bombing have launched legal action against MI5 over claims it failed to take action to stop the attack.
An official inquiry held last year heard how MI5 had terrorist Salman Abedi on its radar from 2010 but regarded him as low priority.
Then in the months before the attack – which killed 22 people, including children – MI5 received two vital pieces of intelligence on Abedi, which it failed to act upon quickly.
Now legal teams representing more than 250 survivors say they have submitted a group claim to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) - an independent judicial body that people who feel they have been the victim of unlawful action by a public authority can appeal to.
Director-general of MI5 Ken McCallum said in March 2023 that he was 'profundly sorry' that MI5 did not stop the bombing at the Ariana Grande concert.
Hundreds of survivors of the Manchester Arena bombing have launched legal action against MI5 over claims it failed to take action to stop the attack
An official inquiry held last year heard how MI5 had terrorist Salman Abedi on its radar from 2010 but regarded him as low priority
Then in the months before the attack – which killed 22 people, mainly children – MI5 received two vital pieces of intelligence on Abedi (pictured), which it failed to act upon quickly
He added: 'Gathering covert intelligence is difficult but had we managed to seize the slim chance we had, those impacted might not have experienced such appalling loss and trauma.'
The action against MI5 is being led by three legal firms - Hudgell Solicitors, Slater & Gordon and Broudie Jackson Canter.
In a joint statement they confirmed that they had submitted a claim to the IPT on behalf of more than 250 clients but were unable to provide any further comment at this stage.
Relatives of the victims have already criticised MI5's catalogue of failures regarding the attack.
Andrew Roussos, whose daughter Saffie-Rose, eight, was the youngest victim, said it could not be 'business as usual' for MI5 after the findings of the inquiry in 2023.
Mr Roussos added at the time: 'I would like to sue MI5 and I know other families feel the
