Olivia Burke
Counter-terror police are leading the investigation into an attack on three prison officers by Manchester Arena bomb plotter Hashem Abedi.
The incident, which left the guards with life-threatening injuries, took place on Saturday (12 April) at HMP Frankland in County Durham, a category A prison where Abedi is serving life.
The 28-year-old 'hurled hot cooking oil' over the officers before producing 'home made weapons' and stabbing them, according to the Prison Officers' Association (POA).
All three were treated in hospital following the attack, with a female officer involved in the incident being discharged by 4pm yesterday.
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Her two male colleagues suffered 'severe stab wounds', the POA's national chairman Mark Fairhurst said, but their conditions have been 'stabilised'.
Abedi's attack is said to have unfolded in a separation centre at HMP Frankland, where dangerous and extremist inmates are housed.
It holds fewer than ten prisoners at a time, according to the BBC, and Abedi has been a long-term resident in there.
Fairhurst said these centres are 'very well resourced - for obvious reasons', but didn't understand why 'that type of prisoner' had 'access to the kitchen and utensils that can be used as weapons'.
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"We are demanding that with immediate affect they restrict and remove cooking facilities from separation centres," Fairhurst said. "We are worried about the knock-on effects and copycat incidents."
It has since been confirmed that counter-terror police will lead the probe into Abedi's attack on the prison officers.
Commander Dom Murphy, Counter Terrorism Policing’s (CTP) Acting Senior National Coordinator, said, as per the Manchester Evening News: "Given the nature of the incident, it has been agreed that CTP North East will lead the investigation, supported by Durham Constabulary.
"This is an ongoing investigation which is in its early stages, and we are working hard to establish the facts. Therefore, we are unable to comment further at this time."
Durham Constabulary added in a statement: "An investigation is underway following a serious assault which occurred at Frankland prison, Durham. Three victims were taken to hospital to be treated where two remain with serious injuries and a third has been discharged. Enquiries are now ongoing."
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Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood MP said in a post on X on Saturday that she will be 'pushing for the strongest possible punishment' for Abedi, adding: "Violence against our staff will never be tolerated."
Abedi was convicted of murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy to cause an explosion likely to endanger life after he assisted with the Manchester Arena terror plot.
His brother, Salman Abedi, horifically killed 22 people by detonating a homemade rucksack-bomb in a crowd of concert-goers at an Ariana Grande gig in May 2017. Over 1,000 people were also injured in the ordeal.
A prison officer at HMP Frankland told the BBC that staff have been left 'shaken by what's happened', saying: "You can't help asking yourself why you do this job when something like this happens."
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POA chairman Fairhurst called for a 'review' of the freedoms which are granted to prisoners being held in separation centres like Abedi was.
"Separation centres hold the most dangerous terrorist offenders who simply do not wish to alter their ideology, and as this event confirms, are determined to inflict violence on those who hold them securely," he said. "We must now review the freedoms we allow separation centre prisoners have. I am of the opinion that allowing access to cooking facilities and items that can threaten the lives of staff should be removed immediately.
"These prisoners need only receive their basic entitlements and we should concentrate on control and containment instead of attempting to appease them. Things have to change."
This separation system was introduced in 2017, to house prisoners who 'present a level of risk that cannot be managed on a mainstream or alternative location', according to the Ministry of Justice.