Manchester Bomber's brother appears in court

The younger brother of Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi has appeared in court charged with murdering the 22 victims of the attack.

Hashem Abedi was detained in Libya shortly after the May 2017 suicide bombing in which hundreds were injured.

The 22-year-old was extradited on Wednesday and arrested by British officers upon his arrival in the UK.

Mr Abedi, of no fixed address, was remanded in custody after appearing before Westminster magistrates.

He is due to next appear at Oxford Crown Court on 22 July for a bail hearing, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled to take place at the Old Bailey on 30 July.

Mr Abedi, who was born and raised in Manchester, is also charged with one count of attempted murder, encompassing all the other victims, and one count of conspiring with his brother Salman Abedi to cause explosions.

Prosecutors allege Hashem Abedi made detonator tubes for the bomb, bought chemicals used to make an explosive substance, and helped his brother to buy a car in which materials were stored that became part of the device.

Zafar Ali QC, defending, said following his client's arrest on 23 May 2017 by a Libyan militia he was held in solitary confinement.

He indicated Mr Abedi would be pleading not guilty to all counts.

As long as England and the rest of the UK bans our Officers from carrying firearms, we will be vulnerable to terrorist attacks.