Home / Crime and Justice / Families Demand MI5 Accountability in New Law
Families Demand MI5 Accountability in New Law
6 Jan
Summary
- Families of Arena bombing victims seek MI5 inclusion in new transparency law.
- Inquiry found MI5 missed 'significant opportunity' to prevent the 2017 attack.
- £20m to be paid to children injured in the devastating Manchester Arena bombing.
Families of the Manchester Arena bombing victims have formally requested the Security Service, MI5, be included in new legislation designed to ensure transparency in public life. The demand follows an inquiry's finding that the devastating 2017 attack, which claimed 22 lives, might have been preventable had MI5 acted upon critical intelligence received months prior.
The inquiry chair stated that MI5's failure to swiftly act on intelligence presented a "significant missed opportunity." This intelligence, reportedly related to the attacker's return from Libya, could have led to his surveillance and the potential thwarting of the bomb plot. The attacker, Salman Abedi, detonated a homemade bomb at an Ariana Grande concert.
In parallel, legal proceedings continue to address the aftermath of the attack. As of 2026, nearly £20 million is allocated for compensation to children injured during the bombing. These victims, some of whom sustained catastrophic injuries or psychological trauma, will receive payments ranging from £11.4 million down to £2,770, reflecting the severity of their experiences.
