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Articles by Daniel De Simone

Legal

Arena bomb-maker ‘used makeshift knives in attack’

September 26, 2025 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) The Manchester Arena bomb-maker Hashem Abedi used five makeshift knives to conduct a terrorist attack on prison officers while shouting “Allahu akbar,” prosecutors have alleged. Abedi, 28, is serving life in prison for helping his suicide bomber brother murder 22 people […]

Legal

Arena bomb plotter refuses to leave cell for court

September 18, 2025 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) Manchester Arena bombmaker Hashem Abedi has refused to leave his cell to appear in court accused of attempting to murder three prison officers in an alleged terrorist attack. Abedi, 28, is serving a life sentence for helping his suicide bomber brother […]

Crime

Alleged Iranian spies charged with targeting UK-based journalists

May 17, 2025 Daniel De Simone and Kathryn Armstrong  

(BBC) Three alleged Iranian spies have appeared in court charged with targeting UK-based journalists so that “serious violence” could be inflicted on them. Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55, all from London, appeared in custody […]

News: Europe

Prison unit emptied after Manchester bomber attack

April 16, 2025 Daniel De Simone and Tom Symonds  

(BBC) All prisoners held in the terrorism prison unit where Manchester Arena bomber Hashem Abedi attacked guards have been moved, the BBC has been told. There were seven prisoners in the HMP Frankland separation centre at the time of Abedi’s attack on […]

News: Europe

High-security unit inmates barred from kitchens after attack

April 14, 2025 Daniel De Simone and Doug Faulkner  

(BBC) The government has suspended kitchen use in prison separation centres that are used to house a small number of the UK’s most dangerous and extremist inmates, it is understood. It comes after the Manchester Arena bomber Hashem Abedi attacked three prison […]

News: Europe

Manchester Arena families in ‘disbelief’ bomber was able to attack officers

April 14, 2025 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) The families of five people murdered by Hashem Abedi in the Manchester Arena bombing have told the justice secretary of their “absolute disbelief” that he was allowed to attack prison officers in HMP Frankland. Despite being held in a high-security unit, […]

Government & Politics

MI5 ‘institutionally defensive’ after Arena bomb

November 5, 2024 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) MI5 showed “institutional defensiveness rather than candour” after the Manchester Arena attack and for years continued to present an “inaccurate picture” of what it had known about the suicide bomber, a tribunal has been told. Twenty-two people died and hundreds were […]

News: Europe

Manchester Arena bomber’s friend granted private parole hearing

February 20, 2024 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) A convicted terrorist who radicalised the Manchester Arena bomber has been granted a private hearing to decide if he can be released from prison. Abdalraouf Abdallah, 30, was first jailed in 2016 for helping others go to Syria to join the […]

Citizenship

Manchester Arena: Ex-bomb suspect regained citizenship in MI5 U-turn

March 11, 2023 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) A former suspect in the Manchester Arena bombing had his British citizenship revoked and then returned after MI5 changed its view of his role in the attack, the BBC can reveal. Mohammed Soliman, 26, was arrested in Libya after being stripped […]

Government & Politics

Manchester Arena attack: Mosque criticised in inquiry faces probe

March 9, 2023 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) The charity watchdog has opened a probe into a mosque that was criticised by the Manchester Arena bomb inquiry. Didsbury Mosque in south Manchester had been attended by the suicide bomber Salman Abedi and his family. The public inquiry into the […]

Clerics & Preachers

Manchester bomber friend known to MI5, BBC reveals

February 27, 2023 Daniel De Simone and Vinnie O'Dowd  

(BBC) A Muslim preacher who was close to the Manchester bomber had been suspected by MI5 of radicalising people more than a decade earlier, the BBC can reveal. A public inquiry into the atrocity will this week report on how Salman Abedi […]

Alcohol & Drugs

Manchester Arena attack: Friends of bomber jailed for drug enterprise

January 4, 2023 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) A drugs conspiracy involving friends of the Manchester Arena suicide bomber was “comfortably” worth £6m, a court has heard. Five men have been sentenced to between six and 12 years at Manchester Crown Court following a spin-off inquiry from the Manchester […]

Legal

Arena bomb brother guilty of failing to attend public inquiry

July 14, 2022 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) The elder brother of the Manchester Arena suicide bomber has been convicted of failing to appear at a public inquiry he was ordered to attend. Ismail Abedi, 29, refused to answer questions from the inquiry in case he incriminated himself. The […]

Government & Politics

Terror prosecutions of people back in UK from Syria not counted

April 28, 2022 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) The government does not record the number of people prosecuted for terror offences after returning to the UK from Syria, an official report says. The data is held neither “officially or unofficially,” an annual review by the independent reviewer of terrorism […]

Alcohol & Drugs

Manchester Arena attack: Man arrested over bombing wanted in drugs probe

January 14, 2022 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) A man arrested during the Manchester Arena bombing investigation is on the run in Libya and wanted by police for his role in a drugs conspiracy. Zuhir Nassrat, 23, was linked to two of the three chemicals used by the Abedi […]

News: Europe

Manchester Arena inquiry: Arena bomber’s father part of militia, terrorist says

November 25, 2021 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) A convicted terrorist has admitted he was in the same Libyan militia group as the Manchester Arena bomber’s father. Abdalraouf Abdallah, a friend of Salman Abedi, was brought from HMP Wakefield to give evidence at the Manchester Arena inquiry into the […]

Law Enforcement

Manchester Arena inquiry: Bomber’s messages held ‘for years’ before attack

October 27, 2021 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) Messages between the Manchester Arena bomber and an Islamic State recruiter were held by police for years, but the killer was not identified until months after the attack, an inquiry has heard. The inquiry into the atrocity was told the texts […]

Government & Politics

Manchester Arena inquiry: Trailing Salman Abedi would have led to bomb, families say

October 26, 2021 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) The authorities would have been led to “the bomb” if they had followed the Manchester Arena attacker on his return from Libya, an inquiry has heard. Giving evidence, a senior MI5 officer agreed if Salman Abedi had been trailed when he […]

Government & Politics

Manchester Arena inquiry: Error not to question bomber on return — MI5

October 25, 2021 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) The decision not to question the Manchester Arena bomber after he returned to the UK from Libya four days before the attack was a mistake, a senior MI5 officer has conceded. The officer, referred to as Witness J, told the Manchester […]

Citizenship

Manchester Arena bomb: Man with alleged links has citizenship restored

October 22, 2021 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) A man whose British citizenship was removed due to alleged links to the Manchester Arena bombing has had it returned to him by Home Secretary Priti Patel, the BBC can reveal. The man’s citizenship was removed in the aftermath of the […]

News: Europe

Manchester Arena inquiry: Bomber’s brother leaves UK before hearing

October 19, 2021 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) The elder brother of the Manchester Arena suicide bomber has left the UK ahead of an appearance at a public inquiry he had been ordered to attend. Ismail Abedi, 28, has always refused to answer questions from the inquiry in case […]

Law Enforcement

Manchester Arena bomb: Three PCs on duty face internal investigations

September 3, 2021 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) Three officers criticised during the Manchester Arena inquiry will not be investigated by the police watchdog. British Transport Police (BTP) PCs Jessica Bullough, Mark Renshaw and PCSO Lewis Brown were on duty during the 2017 atrocity which killed 22 people. They […]

Legal

Man admits sharing Islamic State beheading videos

July 29, 2021 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) A British man who went to Syria to join the Islamic State (IS) group has admitted sharing beheading videos. Stefan Aristidou, 27, entered guilty pleas to four terrorism offences at the Old Bailey and will be sentenced in September. BBC research […]

Law Enforcement

Manchester Arena inquiry: Ex-GMP officer investigated over evidence

July 5, 2021 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) A former Greater Manchester Police officer is being investigated by a watchdog over his evidence at a public inquiry into the Manchester Arena bomb. Ch Insp Dale Sexton was the force duty officer in the control room on the night of […]

Legal

Member of banned group breached anti-terror order for sex, court hears

June 2, 2021 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) A member of the banned group al-Muhajiroun breached a terror prevention order by meeting a woman for sex, a court has heard. The man, known as QT for legal reasons, was handed an 18-month community order at the Old Bailey. He […]

Legal

Manchester Arena inquiry: Bomber’s brother demands immunity

May 19, 2021 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) The elder brother of the Manchester Arena bomber has demanded his evidence be barred from use in a criminal prosecution before he will appear at the public inquiry into the atrocity. Ismail Abedi, 27, from Manchester, has previously refused to answer […]

Legal

Terror suspect who sparked manhunt pleads guilty

February 15, 2021 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) A terror suspect who cut off an electronic monitoring tag and fled his home has pleaded guilty to breaching counter-terror rules. The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is a senior member of the banned terrorist group al-Muhajiroun. He […]

Legal

Man in court accused of sharing of IS beheading videos

February 5, 2021 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) A man from north London who moved to Syria has appeared in court accused of sharing Islamic State group videos. Stefan Aristidou, 27 and originally from Enfield, is accused of texting videos of beheading and executions. He was arrested at Heathrow […]

News: Europe

Manchester attack: Prisoner in touch with bomber recalled to jail

January 20, 2021 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) A convicted terrorist organiser and friend of the Manchester Arena bomber has been returned to prison weeks after being released on licence, the BBC has learned. Abdalraouf Abdallah, 27, was jailed in 2016 after being found guilty of helping people travel […]

Crime

Manchester Arena and Parsons Green bombers charged with prison officer attack

January 13, 2021 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) The Manchester Arena and Parsons Green bombers have been charged with assaulting a prison officer together, the BBC has learned. Hashem Abedi, 23, and Ahmed Hassan, 21, are accused of assaulting an officer in HMP Belmarsh, south London, in May last […]

News: Europe

Manchester Arena inquiry: Bomber’s friend refuses to appear as witness

December 16, 2020 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) A friend of the Manchester Arena bomber is refusing to appear as a witness at the public inquiry into the attack. Ahmed Taghdi, who was due to appear earlier, is citing health issues and concerns about possible questioning after hearing some […]

News: Europe

Manchester Arena inquiry: Bomber ‘sent money to family before attack’

December 15, 2020 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) The Manchester Arena bomber transferred money to his family in Libya hours before the attack, a public inquiry into the 2017 bombing has heard. Rabie Zreba, who made the transfer, said he was contacted by a man he did not know […]

Koran

Manchester Arena inquiry: Bomber ‘asked taxi driver to pray for him’

December 14, 2020 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) A taxi driver who took Salman Abedi on his final journey to the Manchester Arena has described how the bomber asked for his prayers. Tariq Nadeem, who drives a black cab, was approached by Abedi outside Piccadilly station in the city […]

News: Europe

Manchester Arena inquiry: Salman Abedi ‘in contact with convicted terrorist’

December 10, 2020 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) A convicted terrorist who spoke to the Manchester Arena bomber on an illegal prison mobile obtained another phone after the first was confiscated, a public inquiry heard. Abdalraouf Abdallah, 27, was released from prison on licence last month on what are […]

News: Europe

Manchester Arena inquiry: Bomber brother’s confession ‘propaganda’

December 9, 2020 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) A confession by the brother of the Manchester Arena bomber amounts to “pro-Islamic State propaganda,” a public inquiry has heard. Hashem Abedi admitted his role during a prison interview in October. He also gave a written statement, which the senior investigating […]

News: Europe

Manchester Arena inquiry: Salman Abedi ‘trained with Islamist militia’

December 8, 2020 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi trained or fought with an Islamist militia in Libya, an inquiry has heard. His cousin Abderahman Forjani told police Abedi travelled to Libya during its 2011 revolution and “obtained a job locating Gaddafi supporters.” Abedi had […]

Legal

Manchester Arena: Man sentenced for fraud linked to attack

November 26, 2020 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) A friend of the Manchester Arena bomber whose bank details were used to buy chemicals for the bomb has been handed a 12-month community order. Manchester Crown Court heard Yahya Werfalli’s bank details were used to buy hydrogen peroxide on Amazon. […]

News: Europe

Manchester Arena inquiry: Prisoner in touch with bomber to be released

November 26, 2020 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) A convicted terrorist organiser, who has refused to tell an inquiry about his contact with the Manchester Arena bomber, is to be released from jail. Abdalraouf Abdallah, 27, was jailed in 2016 after being found guilty of helping people travel to […]

Law Enforcement

Manchester Arena inquiry: Six wanted for questioning over bombing

November 5, 2020 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) Six people are wanted for questioning by detectives investigating the Manchester Arena bombing, a legal document has revealed. The parents of the brothers responsible for the atrocity are both suspects, as are two associates. One of the associates, who was arrested […]

Legal

Manchester Arena: Guilty plea to fraud charges over chemicals

October 29, 2020 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) A man has pleaded guilty to fraud in relation to chemicals bought by the brother of the Manchester Arena bomber. Manchester Magistrates’ Court heard that Yahya Werfalli’s bank details were used to buy hydrogen peroxide on Amazon. The chemicals were acquired […]

News: Europe

Manchester Arena attack: Abedi’s brother Ismail refuses to engage with inquiry

October 8, 2020 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) The elder brother of the Manchester Arena suicide bomber has refused to say why he is not co-operating with the public inquiry into the atrocity. The inquiry has heard that Ismail Abedi has declined to answer questions in case he incriminates […]

News: Europe

Whitemoor prison terrorist attackers ‘known to be dangerous’

October 7, 2020 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) Two inmates have been convicted of attempting to murder a prison officer in a terror attack inside a maximum-security jail. Both were known to be dangerous and had been involved in violence in prison before. When Brusthom Ziamani and Baz Hockton […]

News: Europe

Islamic State inmate who grew up in London ‘killed in Syria’

July 11, 2020 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) A man who left London to join the Islamic State group in Syria has died while being held in prison in the country, the BBC has been told. One source said that Ishak Mostefaoui, previously from east London, was killed while […]

News: Europe

HMP Whitemoor: Brusthom Ziamani named as attack suspect

January 9, 2020 Daniel De Simone and June Kelly  

(BBC) An inmate suspected of attacking an officer at a maximum security prison was jailed for planning to behead a soldier, the BBC has learned. He is understood to be Brusthom Ziamani, 24, who was found guilty of preparing an act of […]

Academics & Education

At least seven from my university joined IS, says captured fighter

April 1, 2019 Steve Swann, Daniel De Simone and Daniel Sandford  

(BBC) An Islamic State fighter held in Syria has told the BBC he was one of at least seven students and ex-students from University of Westminster to join IS. Zakariyya Elogbani abandoned a degree in business management which he was taking at […]

Legal

Haider Ahmed guilty of hunting knife suicide terror plot

March 8, 2019 Daniel De Simone  

(BBC) A teenage supporter of Islamic State (IS) has been convicted of planning a terror attack with a hunting knife. Haider Ahmed, 19, from Redhill in Surrey, told contacts he wanted to conduct a suicide mission. But Kingston Crown Court heard Ahmed’s […]

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Recent Posts

  • Man appeals Quran burning with ‘free speech’ October 9, 2025
  • Islamic State supporter ‘hero-worshipped’ mastermind of 2015 Paris attacks, court told October 9, 2025
  • Man ‘expressed wish to kill Jews,’ court hears October 9, 2025
  • Two men planned ‘untold harm’ with attack on Jewish community in Manchester, jury told — as defendant shouts out in court October 8, 2025
  • Manchester synagogue killer ‘pledged allegiance to Islamic State’ during attack, police say October 8, 2025
  • Austria suspends state security employee who spied for Muslim Brotherhood, allegedly October 8, 2025
  • New Italian bill targets Islamic face coverings and religious funding October 8, 2025
  • French woman faces genocide trial over enslavement of Yazidi girl October 8, 2025

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