Manchester Arena bomber Hashem Abedi has pleaded not guilty to trying to murder three prison guards during a violent attack behind bars. The 28-year-old told a judge he was forced to attend the Old Bailey hearing under heavy guard.
Abedi Faces Serious Charges After Prison Attack
Abedi, now held at maximum-security HMP Belmarsh, appeared via video link for the plea hearing. He faces three counts of attempted murder and one charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm relating to an incident at HMP Frankland.
During a prison cooking session on April 12, Abedi allegedly used homemade knives and hot oil to attack the guards.
Bomb Plot Planner Rejects Legal Representation
Representing himself, Abedi denied all charges, including possession of offensive weapons inside prison. When asked by Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb if he wanted a lawyer, he replied, “I don’t want to attend anyway, that’s what it is.”
He later claimed he was forced to attend court, saying, “You say that I must attend… I’ve been told if I don’t attend I’m to be forced to attend, like for example today.”
The judge responded, “It’s a matter for the prison authorities how to get you to the place where you need to be.”
Terrorism Link and Upcoming Trial Dates
Prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward KC told the court the attack is linked to terrorism. Abedi was convicted in 2020 of assisting with the Manchester terror plot masterminded by his brother Salman Abedi, who killed 22 people with a rucksack bomb at the 2017 concert.
He is currently serving a life sentence with a 55-year minimum term.
The attempted murder trial will open on January 18, 2027, overseen by a High Court judge. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for January 30, 2026.
