Security firm at Manchester Arena bombing calls on inquiry not to make its staff scapegoats

THE firm providing security when the Manchester Arena bomb exploded has called on the inquiry into it not to make its staff scapegoats.

Two Showsec employees had their attention drawn to the suspicious behaviour of Salman Abedi in the minutes before he blew himself up, killing 22 innocents in May 2017.

But they did not take action, thinking he was just waiting for a train.

Jonathan Laidlaw QC, for the security firm, said even if they had intervened, it would not have stopped the attack.

He said: “It is highly unlikely any form of intervention at that point could have prevented the loss of life.”

He said “it would not be in any sense unusual” for somebody to be carrying a rucksack like the bomber did as the area was part of a rail station.

Showsec’s staff had been given a counter-terrorism awareness briefing at the arena on six days in early May but not on the night of the attack.

Staff understood that any concern about an individual who might have presented as a risk to the safety of those in the area was to be immediately reported to the event control room.

The inquiry continues.

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