Manchester Arena attack: Saffie Roussos' father plans to sue MI5

Saffie Roussos was described as a "human magnet full of love"

The father of the youngest victim in the Manchester Arena attack has said he intends to sue MI5.

The head of the security agency said it was "profoundly sorry" that it did not prevent the suicide bombing which killed 22 people in 2017. 

The apology followed a public inquiry which found MI5 missed opportunities to stop the attacker Salman Abedi.

Andrew Roussos, whose daughter Saffie was killed, told Times Radio that "MI5 have, for me, most of the blame".

He said families of some of the other victims had indicated they might join him in legal action.

Twenty-two people were killed and hundreds were injured when Abedi detonated his device after an Ariana Grande concert on 22 May 2017.

Lisa Roussos, seen with her husband Andrew, underwent months of treatment after being injured in the attack

Speaking about the plan to sue MI5, Mr Roussos told Times Radio: "It's the only way to learn, everybody learns by hitting them hard in the pocket, I am sorry to say.

"At 2017 we were 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 Salman Abedi.

"So if they would have learnt lessons they wouldn't have allowed Abedi to walk into that arena.

"So yes MI5 have, for me, most of the blame."

• What is the Manchester Arena Inquiry?

• Who were the victims of the arena attack?

• Key recommendations from the arena inquiry

On Thursday, inquiry chairman Sir John Saunders said intelligence could have led to Manchester-born Abedi being followed to the car where he stored explosives, which were then moved to a flat to assemble the bomb.

He said that, if MI5 had acted on the intelligence received, the 22-year-old could also have been stopped at Manchester Airport on his return from Libya four days before the attack.

In a rare public statement, MI5 director-general Ken McCallum said: "I am profoundly sorry that MI5 did not prevent the attack."

He added "had we managed to seize the slim chance we had, those impacted might not have experienced such appalling loss and trauma".

Mr Roussos said Abedi "should not have made it to that arena that night, there were too many missed opportunities".

He described his eight-year-old daughter as a "human magnet full of love", adding that he "can't accept apologies for losing Saffie, I want Saffie back in my life and I can't have that.

"If you want to make an apology something meaningful, apologise from day one - that would mean a lot more than waiting for an inquiry to see if you are - in any way, shape or form - to blame for this attack."

• The Big Cases: Homegrown Terrorist - How was Salman Abedi radicalised? Watch on BBC iPlayer

His solicitors at Broudie Jackson Canter are looking at a possible High Court claim based on the Human Rights Act, which protects the right to life.

Following Thursday's publication of the third and final report from the inquiry, MI5 said it had made more than 100 improvements since the attack.

It followed two reports, published in 2021 and 2022, which were highly critical of the private companies and public authorities involved with the arena and the emergency response.