Brother of Manchester suicide bomber denies attempting to kill three prison guards

LONDON (Reuters) -The brother of a man who detonated a suicide bomb after an Ariana Grande concert in Britain in 2017 denied on Friday attempting to murder three prison guards in jail where he is serving a life sentence.

Prosecutors say Hashem Abedi, whose brother Salman Abedi killed 22 people at the Manchester Arena in northern England in 2017, attacked four prison officers with hot cooking oil and makeshift knives while shouting "Allahu Akbar".

The incident happened in April at Frankland prison in northern England, where Abedi is serving a 55-year prison sentence having been jailed in 2020 for helping his brother plan the attack, which injured more than 200.

Abedi, 28, appeared at London's Old Bailey court by videolink from Belmarsh prison surrounded by five guards, and pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempted murder, one count of assault and one count of unauthorised possession of a weapon in a prison.

Prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward said Abedi had been "permitted to use cooking equipment" when he attacked prison officers, "using hot oil and ... makeshift knives".

She added: "Whilst he was carrying out the attack, he was heard to shout 'Allahu Akbar' twice."

Abedi, who is representing himself, said he did not wish to attend his trial, which is due to take place in January 2027.

(Reporting by Sam Tobin; editing by Michael Holden)

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