Associate of Manchester Arena Bomber Released from Custody

Abdalraouf Abdallah, identified as a terrorist associate and childhood friend of Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi, has been released from prison. His release from HMP Full Sutton in East Yorkshire occurred on Tuesday, marking the expiration of his sentence. This release followed a decision by the Parole Board to deny him early release, citing that he was still deemed a “high risk of serious harm” and possessed a “high propensity to radicalise others.” The 31-year-old individual had previously been returned to prison in 2021 due to breaches of his licence conditions. Despite the rejection of his most recent parole board appeal two months prior, Abdallah qualified for automatic release from correctional facilities because the sentence, which had been determined by a judge in court, had concluded. A report from the inquiry investigating the attack indicated that the Islamic extremist played an “important role” in Abedi’s radicalisation. Salman Abedi had visited Abdallah in prison, and experts are of the opinion that he groomed the bomber. However, Abdallah has consistently denied any involvement in the 2017 atrocity, where Abedi killed 22 individuals following an Ariana Grande concert. In 2016, Abdallah received an extended sentence totaling nine-and-a-half years, which included a five-and-a-half-year prison term, after being convicted of preparing and funding acts of terrorism by assisting four other individuals in traveling to Syria. His initial release from prison occurred in 2020. He was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, having become paraplegic due to injuries sustained while engaged in fighting in Libya during the country’s uprising in 2011. A report from September, outlining the Parole Board’s decision, stated that the panel acknowledged the inquiry’s conclusion that Abdallah “had played a significant role in radicalising the Manchester Arena bomber, although there was no evidence that he was involved in the attack itself or had any pre-knowledge of it.” During his incarceration, Abdallah participated in courses aimed at addressing the motivations for his offenses “and the beliefs which enable it,” alongside engaging in rehabilitation efforts to “manage the risk of individuals who have been involved in extremist or terrorism-related activity.” Nevertheless, his probation officer, prison officer, and psychologist did not endorse his release, as assessments concluded he presented a “high risk of serious harm to the public.” According to the documents, psychologists determined that Abdallah continued to “show levels of engagement with extremism and intent to commit terrorist-related offending.” Furthermore, a proposed plan for his release, submitted to the panel, was judged “not robust enough” to effectively manage him post-incarceration. The report also noted a lack of sufficient evidence indicating any alteration in his extremist mindset.