Manchester bomber Salman Abedi detonated rucksack bomb packed with nails and bolts ‘just five yards from nearest victim’ in bid to kill and maim as many fans as possible
MANCHESTER suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated his rucksack bomb "just five yards from his nearest victim" in the terror attack which killed 22 people.
An inquest was told the improvised explosive device was "designed to kill and maim indiscriminately the largest number of innocent people".
None of the victims' families were at the hearing at Manchester Civil Justice, which lasted just short of a hour.
It came before a minute's silence for the deceased, bereaved, injured and those affected by the bombing on May 22 and also the London Bridge atrocity.
A photograph of each of the victims was shown on a large screen along with their dates of birth and then a map which pinpointed Abedi, 22, in the middle of the large foyer area of the indoor arena and where each person was when he detonated the device.
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The nearest victim was just five yards from Abedi, while the furthest was 20 metres away.
Nineteen of the concert-goers died at the scene while three - including the youngest victim aged eight - were rushed to hospital, but pronounced dead shortly afterwards, the inquests were told.
Detective Superintendent Jonathan Chadwick, the senior identification manager for the incident, told the hearing: "At 10.31pm on May 22 2017 a man subsequently identified as Salman Ramadan Abedi detected an improvised explosive device in the Manchester Arena complex in Manchester city centre.
"The device had been contained in a rucksack he was carrying on his back.
Counter Terrorism Police believe Abedi may have used items found in a Nissan Micra to “assemble the device” he used to kill 22 during last month’s arena attack.
They think the killer bought the white vehicle on April 13 – just two days before he flew to Libya.
According to Det Ch Supt Russ Jackson, Abedi made “repeated trips” to and from the car between May 18 and May 22.
He revealed police have found “significant evidence” in the vehicle, which may include a red 49ers holdall seized in connection with the Manchester Arena attack following an Ariana Grande concert.
Cops started guarding the vehicle, found outside Devell House in Rusholme Place, at around 7am on Friday last week.
"It was packed with a massive number of small metal objects which on detonation flew through the air at high velocity in all directions.
"It appears it was designed to kill and maim indiscriminately the largest number of innocent people."
He added that at the time of the explosion, the foyer near Victoria Station was full of people making their way out following the performance by Ariana Grande.
A total of 220 people received medical treatment as a result of the blast, said Mr Chadwick.
A number of those have life-changing injuries and a small number remain critically ill.
Updating the investigation by the North West Counter Terrorism Unit, he said 21 people had been arrested in connection with the attack, of which 18 have been released and three remain in custody.
He said 32 addresses had been searched and 10 were still under police control.
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