Salman Abedi's cousins say Manchester bomber 'betrayed his family'

Two cousins of Manchester bomber Salman Abedi have spoken of their shock at their relative’s actions, saying they had no idea he was planning the horrific attack.

Isaac and Abz Forjani told the BBC their cousin had betrayed their family with his actions.

The brothers, who were arrested in Fallowfield, south Manchester, after the attack, have since been released without charge.

Speaking to the BBC, Isaac, 24, said: “I’m still shocked. It’s not easy being connected to 22 lost, innocent lives and the fact that the person that did this is related to us by blood is something that’s going to stay with me for the rest of my life.

“My thoughts are with the families of the victims. I really do feel for them. We went in, we could come out, we can try to move on with our lives but they’ve lost their loved ones.”

Abz, 21, said he, too, was still in shock, as he had thought he had a “pretty close” relationship with his cousin.

“For him to betray the image of the family in that manner, in that way….involving 22 people, innocent people, I’m traumatised by it to be honest, it’s shocking.”

MORE: Manchester suicide bomber was known to MI5 but not under active investigation
MORE: Did Manchester bomber Salman Abedi have a second device? Police appeal for info on blue suitcase

He said the idea that Abedi was part of a “big network” was wrong, adding: “It’s nothing like that. I believe it was all done by one man which developed some sort of thoughts in the past few years which he kept to himself, secretly to himself.

“He never shared it with any members of the family – if he would of, we could have done something to stop that happening.”

The brothers’ comments come as Greater Manchester Police released new CCTV images of Abedi’s final movements shortly before the Manchester Arena terror attack which killed 22 people.

Detective Chief Superintendent Russ Jackson, head of the North West Counter Terrorism Unit, said “significant progress” was being made in the investigation, but added that police were still trying to establish why Abedi went to the Banff Road area in Rusholme.

Police have also followed up claims that calls were made to the an anti-terror hotline about Abedi before the attack on May 22, but no records have been found.

It has also emerged that ticket touts are trying to profit from Ariana Grande’s One Love Manchester gig to raise money for the victims, set to take place on Sunday.