Eilidh, from the Outer Hebrides, was just 14 years old when she was murdered along with 21 others at an Ariana Grande concert in the Manchester Arena in 2017.
News Ryan Thom 21:46, 14 Apr 2025
The family of Scots Manchester bombing victim Eilidh Macleod has written to justice secretary after her killer was allowed to attack prison officers.
Eilidh, from the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, was just 14 years old when she was murdered along with 21 others at an Ariana Grande concert in the Manchester Arena in 2017.
Her family is one of five victim's families who have penned a letter to express their "absolute disbelief" after it was found that her killer Hashem Abedi attack and injured three prison officers on Saturday using makeshift blades and hot cooking oil.
Abedi launched a violent attack on guards within HMP Frankland – where the terrorist is being held in a separate wing for the most dangerous and extremist cons.
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Families – including Eilidh’s loved ones – have now banded together begging the government to ensure he “cannot be allowed to hurt anyone else.”
In a letter seen by the BBC, families said they were in “absolute disbelief”, that once again the “evil Hashem has been allowed to cause danger to life”.
They go on: "As the families of Megan Hurley, Eilidh Macleod, Chloe Rutherford, Liam Curry, and Kelly Brewster, our beautiful, beloved children who were so tragically murdered along with 16 others in the Manchester Arena terror attack in May 2017, we find this situation beyond comprehension."
They wrote: "In our view, he should not be allowed any privileges whatsoever while serving a sentence for the deaths of 22 innocent lives and the injuring of many more.
"He should not have access to anything that he can weaponise, such as hot oil or items he can turn into blades."
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has said there would be a full, independent review into the incident, which saw the three prison officers suffer stab wounds and burns.
The families asked Mahmood to "consider the full gravity of Abedi's actions when determining any further punishment".
They wrote "His continuing violence in prison, attacking prison officers in Belmarsh and now attempting to murder three more, shows he feels no remorse and has no respect for human life.
"We send our heartfelt sympathies to the three prison officers who were injured on Saturday, as well as their families. Hashem Abedi cannot be allowed to hurt anyone else.
"As broken families, we firmly believe the appropriate punishment for this individual should be permanent solitary confinement. In truth, anything harsher would be more fitting."
Abedi was caged for life with a minimum 55 years in prison after being convicted of murdering 22 people and injuring hundreds in Manchester.
The dangerous terrorist was shifted to Frankland after carrying out an earlier attack on prison officers in London’s notorious Belmarsh nick in 2020.His violent attacks saw an extra three years and 10 months slapped onto his sentence.
Two prison officers are still in hospital with serious injuries from the latest attack, whilst a third officer has been discharged.
One guard suffered a severed artery after being stabbed in the neck whilst another received horror stab wounds to the back. Mark Fairhurst the chairman of prison officers’ association said Abedi is suspecting of fashioning the blades from a baking tray.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has said there would be a full, independent review into the incident, which saw the three prison officers suffer stab wounds and burns.
The MoJ said in a statement responding to the letter: "Our thoughts remain with the victims of the Manchester Arena bombing and their families who are understandably concerned by the shocking attack at HMP Frankland this weekend.
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"We've already taken immediate action to suspend access to kitchens in separation and close supervision centres."
