Manchester Arena bomber's brother denies 22 counts of murder

Image source, Libyan Interior Ministry

Image caption, Hashem Abedi was extradited from Libya to the UK in July

The younger brother of the Manchester Arena bomber has denied murdering the 22 victims of the attack.

Salman Abedi, 22, detonated a suicide bomb as music fans left an Ariana Grande concert, killing 22 people and injuring hundreds more, on 22 May 2017.

His brother Hashem, 22, is charged with 22 counts of murder and conspiring with his brother to cause explosions.

Mr Abedi, of no fixed address, was remanded in custody and is due to go on trial on 13 January at the Old Bailey.

He is also charged with one count of attempted murder for all those at the Manchester Arena who were not murdered.

Image caption, Top (left to right): Lisa Lees, Alison Howe, Georgina Callender, Kelly Brewster, John Atkinson, Jane Tweddle, Marcin Klis - Middle (left to right): Angelika Klis, Courtney Boyle, Saffie Roussos, Olivia Campbell-Hardy, Martyn Hett, Michelle Kiss, Philip Tron, Elaine McIver - Bottom (left to right): Eilidh MacLeod, Wendy Fawell, Chloe Rutherford, Liam Allen-Curry, Sorrell Leczkowski, Megan Hurley, Nell Jones

A public inquiry will be held to investigate the deaths of the victims of the attack, the Home Office announced earlier.

Each murder victim's name was read out as the charges were put to Hashem Abedi, with the defendant responding "not guilty" 22 times.

The victims were: off-duty police officer Elaine McIver, 43, Saffie Roussos, 8, Sorrell Leczkowski, 14, Eilidh MacLeod, 14, Nell Jones, 14, Olivia Campbell-Hardy, 15, Megan Hurley, 15, Georgina Callander, 18, Chloe Rutherford, 17, Liam Curry, 19, Courtney Boyle, 19, Philip Tron, 32, John Atkinson, 26, Martyn Hett, 29, Kelly Brewster, 32, Angelika Klis, 39, Marcin Klis, 42, Michelle Kiss, 45, Alison Howe, 45, Lisa Lees, 43, Wendy Fawell, 50 and Jane Tweddle, 51.

It took six minutes to read the 24 count indictment.

Hashem Abedi, who was born and raised in Manchester, was extradited to the UK from Libya in July.

He was remanded in custody until the trial which is expected to last up to eight weeks.