The father of the bomber who killed 22 concert-goers in an attack in Manchester told Reuters in the Libyan capital on Wednesday that he had last spoken to his son some five days ago, by phone, and "everything was normal."
Ramadan Abedi, who was detained by a Tripoli counterterrorism force during the interview, said his son Salman had told his family that he was heading on pilgrimage to Mecca.
"I spoke to him about five days ago ... there was nothing wrong, everything was normal," Abedi said. He did not say where his son was at the time.
Another of Abedi's sons, Hashem, was detained on Tuesday evening in Tripoli on suspicion of links to Islamic State, said Ahmed Bin Salem, a spokesman for the Special Deterrence Force, also known as Rada.
"We have evidence that he is involved in Daesh (Islamic State) with his brother. We have been following him for more than one month and a half," Bin Salem said. "He was in contact with his brother and he knew about the attack."
Rada said Hashem, 20, had travelled from London to Tripoli on April 16.
British interior minister Amber Rudd said earlier that the bomber had recently returned from Libya. Her French counterpart Gerard Collomb said the man had links with Islamic State and had probably visited Syria as well.
But Ramadan Abedi said he was sure Salman had not been a member of the jihadist group.
"Salman doesn't belong to any organisation," he said. "The family is a bit confused because Salman doesn't have this ideology, he doesn't hold these beliefs."
"I didn't expect that to happen, never," Abedi said, adding that he thought there were "hidden hands" behind the attack.
"We condemn these terrorist acts on civilians, innocent people," he said.
"DOGS"
Abedi also said he was certain Salman had not been in Syria. "I checked his two passports and there wasn't anything in them, he didn't travel to Syria," he said.
While Reuters was interviewing Abedi, several unmarked vehicles carrying heavily armed Rada forces drove up to the family home in the Tripoli suburb of Ayn Zara and detained him.
Family members shouted at the Rada men, calling them "dogs", as Abedi was handcuffed and driven away.
Rada did not give a reason for his arrest. Libyan media and bloggers reported alleged connections between Abedi and the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), a militant Islamist organisation formed by Libyans who travelled to Afghanistan in the 1980s to fight Soviet troops and later plotted to topple former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. A Facebook page that appears to belong to Abedi shows links to several former LIFG members.
Some LIFG members and supporters fled Libya in the 1990s to Britain and like Abedi settled in Manchester, home to a large Libyan community. Abedi reportedly returned to Libya in 2008.
"I condemn anyone who says I belong to the LIFG, but I praise them," Abedi said.
Rada is one of the largest of the armed groups that have held power on the ground in Tripoli since the 2011 uprising that overthrew Gaddafi.
Nominally aligned with the United Nations-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), it has specialised in breaking up Islamic State cells in the Libyan capital.
Reuters
Thu May 25 2017
Ramadan Abedi, the father of Salman Abedi, the bomber who killed 22 concert-goers in an attack in Manchester, gestures as he speaks to Reuters in Tripoli, Libya, May 24, 2017. REUTERS
Perdana Menteri dijadual bertemu Google
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dijadualkan mesyuarat dalam talian bersama syarikat gergasi teknologi Google pada Isnin.
[TERKINI] Integriti perlu setimpal dengan pengiktirafan kerajaan
Penjawat awam yang tidak berintegriti tidak akan dilayan dengan cara yang sama oleh kerajaan.
Agong, Raja Permaisuri tiba di Singapura untuk Lawatan Negara sulung
Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim dan Raja Permaisuri Agong Raja Zarith Sofiah berangkat tiba di Singapura hari ini bagi mengadakan Lawatan Negara selama dua hari ke republik berkenaan.
Pusat Rawatan Madinah mula beroperasi lengkap kemudahan, doktor pakar
Pengarah Operasi Madinah (Perubatan) Dr Mahyin Kudong berkata, pusat rawatan berkenaan dilengkapi kemudahan antaranya wad dengan kapasiti 33 katil, unit kecemasan, x-ray, fisioterapi dan makmal perubatan selain pakar pemakanan.
[TERKINI] Operasi pencarian mangsa hilang masih diteruskan
Susulan 17 orang terperangkap akibat kejadian kepala air di Lembah Maksina, Makuau dekat Lahad Datu malam tadi. Operasi mencari dan menyelamat bersambung semula 8.20 pagi tadi.
Untuk perincian lanjut kita bersama wakil Astro AWANI, Ridzal Abdullah.
Untuk perincian lanjut kita bersama wakil Astro AWANI, Ridzal Abdullah.
[TERKINI] Polis tahan seorang suspek berkaitan serangan asid ke atas Faisal Halim - Laporan
Susulan insiden serangan asid ke atas pemain bola sepak Selangor, Faisal Halim, seorang lelaki lingkungan usia 20an telah ditahan polis.
Memetik laporan portal berita Malaysiakini, Ketua Polis Selangor Datuk Hussein Omar Khan berkata, pihaknya akan memperoleh perintah reman terhadap saspek hari ini.
Memetik laporan portal berita Malaysiakini, Ketua Polis Selangor Datuk Hussein Omar Khan berkata, pihaknya akan memperoleh perintah reman terhadap saspek hari ini.
X perkenal 'Stories' - ciri rumusan berita oleh AI untuk pelanggan berbayar
Ia boleh diakses pada tab -Explore-, yang sedia menyenaraikan sejumlah berita yang hangat dibincangkan pada platform tersebut.
IRC 2024 tarik 800 penyertaan fokus tangani isu inovasi keselamatan digital
Perkongsian peserta yang terdiri daripada pengawal selia dan pakar bidang subjek adalah penting.
[KOLUMNIS] SPRM dan kes berprofil tinggi: Ke mana sudahnya?
Amalan tadbir urus yang baik demi kepentingan awam adalah lebih penting daripada jawatan yang dipegang. Namun, bila agaknya ahli politik di negara ini boleh mengikut prinsip sedemikian rupa?
Polis tahan lelaki bantu siasatan kes simbah asid Faisal Halim
Ketua Polis Selangor, Datuk Hussein Omar Khan berkata, suspek diberkas di Pandan Indah, Ampang.
COVID-19: Minit permainan mungkin dikurangkan - CEO PFA
Tiada perlawanan dianjurkan sejak pertengahan Mac lalu berikutan ancaman wabak novel koronavirus (Covid-19).