Introduction to the Incident

Tasers are set to be trialled in prisons after a Manchester Arena terrorist launched a vicious attack on three officers using boiling oil and makeshift blades.

Hashem Abedi, 28, is currently serving a 55-year sentence for helping his brother, Manchester suicide bomber, Salman, carry out the devastating 2017 terror attack, killing 22 people.

Last week, Abedi was sent back to infamous Category A jail, Belmarsh, where he previously assaulted two officers in 2020 following the attack which sent three guards to hospital.

Abedi, one of Britain’s most dangerous inmates, is believed to have hurled scalding oil at the guards during an attack in the kitchen area of the high-security Frankland prison in County Durham.

He then went on to reportedly stab them with improvised weapons made from baking trays.

Hashem Abedi, 28, (pictured) ‘attacked three prison officers with cooking oil and makeshift weapons’, according to the Prison Officers’ Association (POA)

The 22 people who were tragically killed in the Manchester Arena bombing in May 2017

A view of HMP Frankland in Durham, where the police officers were attacked

Response to the Incident

And now Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced the use of tasers will be trialled by guards behind bars.

She also previously said the Prison Service will investigate whether front line staff should be given protective body armour. The Ministry of Justice has also vowed to carry out a review following the incident.

It comes after union bosses called for officers to be given stab vests and protective equipment, arguing the incident shows ‘how dangerous our job is’.

Official Statements

Speaking in the Commons on Tuesday, Ms Mahmood said: ‘The House will be aware of the attack at HMP Frankland on the 12 of April.

‘The bravery of the officers involved that day undoubtedly saved lives, my thoughts are with them as they recover.’

She added: ‘I think also of the victims of the Manchester Arena bombing and their families who are understandably outraged.

‘Since the attack, I have suspended access to kitchens in separation centres and in close supervision centres.’

The Justice Secretary also told the Commons that there would be an independent review to ascertain how the incident happened, as well as what more can be done to protect prison staff.

‘The Prison Service will also conduct a snap review of the use of protective bodily armour,’ she added.

‘In addition, I can today announce that HMPPS (HM Prison and Probation Service) will trial the use of Tasers in our prisons.

‘Wherever we can strengthen our defences, to better protect our staff and the public, we will do so.’

Hashem Abedi, younger brother of Manchester Arena suicide bomber Salman Abedi pictured with a gun

Salman Abedi, Hashem’s brother, at Victoria Station making his way to the Manchester Arena, on May 22, 2017

This picture shows police interviewing Hashem following the horrific 2017 Manchester Arena terror attack

Future Measures

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: ‘We will do whatever it takes to protect our hardworking staff. Since November last year, the Prison Service has been exploring the use of tasers in our prisons.

‘This summer, an operational trial into tasers will be launched for specialised officers to help staff respond to high-risk incidents more effectively.’

Concerns and Criticisms

Prison staff at Belmarsh are said to be deeply uneasy about the decision, particularly given Abedi’s history of violence.

Abedi and two other inmates ambushed officer Paul Edwards in his office during the 2020 attack – an incident that added almost four years to his sentence.

The 28-year-old is now being held under the ‘multi-unlock protocol’, meaning five officers must be present each time his cell door is opened, alongside another who must wear riot gear and film the interaction.

In response to the latest incident, the Ministry of Justice has suspended kitchen access for inmates in specialist extremist wings, known as separation centres, at Frankland and HMP Woodhill.

Conclusion

The incident highlights the need for increased security measures in prisons to protect staff and inmates. The introduction of tasers and protective body armour is a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done to address the root causes of violence in prisons.