British media report that the father of an eight-year-old killed in the Manchester Arena bombing plans to sue the British intelligence agency MI5 for having “most of the blame” for the attack. This news comes from London.
The father of Saffie Roussos, who was killed in the Manchester Arena attack in May 2017, has stated that he is seeking legal counsel in order to investigate the failures of the UK’s security service.
After the attack, which left 22 people dead and hundreds more injured, Roussos announced that he planned to sue MI5 for “most of the blame” and that they had “missed chances” to stop bomber Salman Abedi.
On Times Radio, he said, “I’m sorry to say that this is the only way to learn, that everyone learns by getting hit in the pocket.”
He elaborated, saying, “In 2017, (the UK) was at the highest alert and everybody was warned of an attack in this country and MI5, who their sole job, they are well-funded and well-equipped, had 22 pieces of information about Abedi.
“Yes, MI5 have, for me, most of the blame,” one witness said. “If they would have learned lessons, they wouldn’t have allowed Abedi to walk into that arena.”
The circumstances of the atrocity that occurred between September 7, 2020 and February 15, last year were thoroughly investigated.
Before Abedi walked across the City Room foyer and detonated his shrapnel-laden device, the arena had numerous “missed opportunities” to identify him as a threat.
Broudie Jackson Canter, Roussos’ legal counsel, has stated that they are considering filing a claim in the UK High Court on his behalf under Article 2 of the Human Rights Act, which guarantees a person’s right to life.
According to a company statement, “It’s alright saying that Manchester wasn’t prepared that night, which it wasn’t, and the arena was so not prepared for such an attack,” adding, “For me knowing the information we knew at the start, Salman Abedi should not have made it to that arena that night, there were too many missed opportunities.”
I can’t accept apologies for losing Saffie, I want Saffie back in my life and I can’t have that, an apology for missing 22 opportunities to stop the attacker, how can I accept an apology,” Roussos said after receiving an apology from MI5 for its failures in preventing the attack.
Instead of waiting for an investigation to determine whether or not you bear responsibility for the attack, he urged, “If you want to make an apology something meaningful, apologize from the day one.”
