Salman Abedi: Manchester bomber's two brothers and father arrested by counter-terrorism forces

The father and brother of the Manchester attacker Salman Abedi, have been arrested by counter-terrorism forces in Libya.

Hashem Abedi, 20, was picked up by security forces in the north African country's capital Tripoli.

His father, Ramadan Abedi, an administrative manager of the Central Security Force in the Libyan capital, was detained separately by security forces in the city, on suspicion of having links to the Islamic State group.

An eyewitness claimed he was handcuffed by counter-terrorism forces and put in an unmarked vehicle in Tripoli.

His third son, 23-year-old Ismail Abedi, was also arrested following raids on a property by officers in Manchester.

The Abedi family live between Libya and Manchester and reportedly moved to the UK to escape the regime of former dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

Mr Abedi had previously said he could not understand how his son had become involved in the attack and claimed he was innocent.

He also added that he had spoken to his son five days ago and he sounded “normal”.

“We don't believe in killing innocents. This is not us. My son was as religious as any child who opens his eyes in a religious family,” Mr Abedi told Bloomberg news.

“As we were discussing news of similar attacks earlier, he was always against those attacks, saying there’s no religious justification for them. I don’t understand how he’d have become involved in an attack that led to the killing of children.”

Police confirmed that 22-year-old Salman Abedi was behind the atrocity at the Manchester Arena.

A total of 22 people were killed and 59 injured, many of them children, in the attack.

It was the worst act of terrorism on British soil since 56 people were killed in 2005's 7 July London bombings.