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

The begetter of the youngest unfortunate successful the Manchester Arena onslaught has said helium intends to writer MI5.

The caput of the information bureau said it was "profoundly sorry" that it did not forestall the termination bombing which killed 22 radical successful 2017. 

The apology followed a nationalist enquiry which recovered MI5 missed opportunities to halt the attacker Salman Abedi.

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

He said families of immoderate of the different victims had indicated they mightiness articulation him successful ineligible action.

Twenty-two radical were killed and hundreds were injured erstwhile Abedi detonated his instrumentality aft an Ariana Grande performance connected 22 May 2017.

Speaking astir the program to writer MI5, Mr Roussos told Times Radio: "It's the lone mode to learn, everybody learns by hitting them hard successful the pocket, I americium atrocious to say.

"At 2017 we were astatine the highest alert and everybody was warned of an onslaught successful this state and MI5 who their sole occupation - they are well-funded and well-equipped - had 22 pieces of accusation astir Salman Abedi.

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

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

On Thursday, enquiry president Sir John Saunders said quality could person led to Manchester-born Abedi being followed to the car wherever helium stored explosives, which were past moved to a level to assemble the bomb.

He said that, if MI5 had acted connected the quality received, the 22-year-old could besides person been stopped astatine Manchester Airport connected his instrumentality from Libya 4 days earlier the attack.

In a uncommon nationalist statement, MI5 director-general Ken McCallum said: "I americium profoundly atrocious that MI5 did not forestall the attack."

He added "had we managed to prehend the slim accidental we had, those impacted mightiness not person experienced specified appalling nonaccomplishment and trauma".

Mr Roussos said Abedi "should not person made it to that arena that night, determination were excessively galore missed opportunities".

He described his eight-year-old girl arsenic a "human magnet afloat of love", adding that helium "can't judge apologies for losing Saffie, I privation Saffie backmost successful my beingness and I can't person that.

"If you privation to marque an apology thing meaningful, apologise from time 1 - that would mean a batch much than waiting for an enquiry to spot if you are - successful immoderate way, signifier oregon signifier - to blasted for this attack."

His solicitors astatine Broudie Jackson Canter are looking astatine a imaginable High Court assertion based connected the Human Rights Act, which protects the close to life.

Following Thursday's work of the 3rd and last study from the inquiry, MI5 said it had made much than 100 improvements since the attack.

It followed 2 reports, published successful 2021 and 2022, which were highly captious of the backstage companies and nationalist authorities progressive with the arena and the exigency response.