MI5 'advanced false narrative' after Manchester Arena bombing to 'protect themselves after the fact', claims barrister

A barrister for families affected by the Manchester Arena bombing has claimed MI5 ‘failed to act’ on critical information regarding bomber Salman Abedi and then crafted a misleading narrative to protect itself. Pete Weatherby KC argued that forcing MI5 to be truthful could enhance public safety in the future. He spoke out after bereaved families expressed their dissatisfaction with MI5’s lack of transparency and called for the security service to be included in the proposed Hillsborough Law, aimed at preventing cover-ups by public officials. The inquiry into the 2017 attack revealed MI5 could have intervened based on existing intelligence. Families are pushing for reform to ensure public officials, including MI5, provide accurate information during investigations, particularly in instances of public tragedies. Weatherby emphasised that honesty is crucial for restoring trust in MI5 and preventing future failures, nudging for the Hillsborough Law to ensure that officials are held accountable.

Read the full article at Manchester Evening News