Manchester Arena Inquiry: Bomber's friend ordered to give evidence

Salman Abedi pictured on CCTV shortly before the bombing on 22 May 2017

A friend of the Manchester Arena bomber will be forced to answer questions at the inquiry into the atrocity or face arrest, a judge has ruled.

Ahmed Taghdi, 29, helped to buy a car which was used to store components of the bomb assembled by Salman Abedi.

Mr Taghdi, along with Salman Abedi, also visited convicted terrorist Abdalraouf Abdallah in jail.

Terror experts believe Abdallah groomed Salman Abedi into a radicalised Islamist extremist, the inquiry heard.

The chairman of the inquiry Sir John Saunders ordered Mr Taghdi to attend on Thursday but he has so far refused, even though he has the legal right to refuse to answer any questions that could incriminate himself.

An application for a court order compelling him to attend next Thursday and if he does not, to be arrested and brought to the inquiry hearing, was heard at the High Court in Manchester earlier.

Richard Wright QC, representing Mr Taghdi, opposed the application, telling the hearing his client was a vulnerable witness suffering a "mild to moderate depressive illness".

He said Mr Taghdi had fears over his own and his family's security if he appears as a witness.

He also said that having been questioned by police after the bombing and providing a witness statement at the trial of Salman Abedi's co-conspirator younger brother Hashem Abedi, Mr Taghdi's evidence would have nothing to add.

Twenty-two people died in the bombing on 22 May 2017

Paul Greaney QC, counsel to the inquiry, said that while the criminal case was concerned with prosecuting Hashem Abedi, the inquiry's scope was wider.

Mr Greaney said: "He [Mr Taghdi] has evidence of critical importance to give to the inquiry.

"He was a childhood friend of Salman Abedi and he is therefore singularly well placed to describe Abedi's journey towards radicalisation."

He told the court the inquiry was also "very interested" in what was discussed when Mr Taghdi and Salman Abedi visited Abdallah in prison.

He said he was a witness of "considerable significance" adding that Mr Taghdi was seen to visit the area where the Nissan Micra car was kept in the five weeks Salman Abedi was in Libya before returning to collect the bomb components and carry out the attack.

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Mr Taghdi, from Manchester, was arrested and questioned after the bombing but never charged with any offence and denies involvement or knowledge of the bomb plot.

Mr Justice Jacobs granted the application for the order, backed by an arrest warrant should he not attend.

Abdallah is due to give evidence next week, having initially declined to do so.

Lawyers for Abdallah told the inquiry he will not answer any questions if he is forced to attend.

The inquiry continues.

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