- MI5 faces lawsuit over missed opportunity to prevent Manchester attack
- Three law firms file action on behalf of over 250 individuals
- MI5 apologizes for failure to act on intelligence, sparking legal action
In the past, the security service issued an apology for missing an opportunity to prevent the attack, which resulted in the deaths of 22 individuals and numerous injuries.
Attorneys have stated that the injured survivors of the Manchester Arena explosion are suing MI5.
It follows the security chief’s admission from the previous year that a “slim” opportunity to prevent the attack in May 2017 was not realised, resulting in the deaths of 22 individuals and the injury of hundreds more.
Since then, three law firms on behalf of over 250 individuals have confirmed that an action has been filed with the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT). However, they have refrained from providing any additional information, stating that the matter is “ongoing legal.”
An investigation concluded in March of last year that the explosion could have been averted had MI5 responded to intelligence gathered in the months preceding the assault.
Two pieces of information regarding bomber Salman Abedi had been deemed non-terrorism-related by the security service at the time, according to the findings of the investigation.
Ken McCallum, the director general of MI5, issued an uncommon public apology for the identified shortcomings and insisted that progress had been made.
“There was a realistic possibility that actionable intelligence could have been obtained, which could have led to actions preventing the attack,” the chair of the inquiry stated following the examination of all the evidence.
“The failure to acquire such intelligence is profoundly regrettable.”
“Acquiring covert intelligence is a challenging endeavour; however, had we capitalised on the limited opportunity at hand, the individuals affected might not have been subjected to the profound anguish and psychological distress they endured.”
My sincere apologies for the failure of MI5 to avert the attack.
Before this, former national security adviser Sir Mark Lyall Grant stated that the lack of action on intelligence was “concerning,” and that MI5 received “hundreds, if not thousands,” of intelligence documents daily.
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He further stated that things can slide through the cracks and errors can occur.
MI5 has faced criticism from the families of those slain in the attack, with Saffie-Rose Roussos, the youngest victim, father, stating that his daughter would have survived “if MI5 had done their job.”
“MI5 should have apprehended Salman Abedi prior to his arrival at that arena,” Andrew Roussos had previously stated.
Hudgell Solicitors, Slater & Gordon, and Broudie Jackson Canter are the three law firms spearheading the legal proceedings at the IPT, an institution that grants victims of illicit actions by a public body the right to seek redress.
MI5 has decided to withhold any comments in light of the ongoing legal proceedings.
