Notorious Islamist hate preacher Anjem Choudary is suspected of inspiring the attack on three prison officers by Manchester Arena terrorist Hashem Abedi, according to sources.
Choudary, 58, was previously held in the same segregation unit as Abedi at HMP Frankland in County Durham.
Prison officers believe Choudary, described as the "Daddy" of the separation unit, may have encouraged Abedi to carry out Saturday's attack.
Intelligence reports had previously identified Choudary's potential malign influence on other inmates in the closed-off unit, which houses jihadist fanatics.
Abedi, 28, launched his attack in the kitchen of the prison
PA
A source told The Sun: "Choudary had become a leader of the unit and the younger extremists like Abedi looked up to him."
Abedi, 28, launched his attack in the kitchen of the prison's separation unit on Saturday, throwing hot cooking oil over a female officer before stabbing two male colleagues with improvised weapons.
One officer was slashed in the neck while another was stabbed five times in the back, suffering a punctured lung.
The female officer has been discharged from hospital after treatment for third-degree burns, but both male officers remain hospitalised with serious injuries.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
- 'Unbelievable!' Manchester Arena bomb survivor left furious after Hashem Abedi prison attack: 'Evil to the core'
- Counter-terror police launch urgent probe after Manchester Arena bomber's brother attacks THREE prison officers in 'appalling' rampage
- There's only one solution for the vile Islamists in our jails - let's hold a referendum - Kelvin MacKenzie
Hashem Abedi threw hot cooking oil over guards, then produced homemade weapons and proceeded to stab themGREATER MANCHESTER POLICEA source said: "Abedi was completely silent and grinning as he carried out the attack. There is no doubt he wanted to kill and it is miraculous they all survived."
Abedi is currently serving a minimum of 55 years for helping his brother Salman plan the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, which killed 22 people and injured more than 1,000 at an Ariana Grande concert on May 23, 2017.
This is not his first attack behind bars. In 2020, Abedi was found guilty of assaulting a prison officer at Belmarsh prison alongside two other convicted terrorists. After Saturday's attack, Abedi was moved to the separation centre at HMP Full Sutton.
Counter-terrorism police are now leading the investigation into the incident, with officers set to question Choudary about his potential involvement.
Police stand guard near the Manchester Arena on May 23, 2017 in Manchester
Getty
Separation centres were introduced in 2017 to control and contain prisoners with extreme views, housing a small number of the UK's most dangerous inmates.
The units have been described as a "prison within a prison" with a small association room and an area for prisoners to cook and prepare food.
Russell Hayward, who lost his boyfriend Martyn Hett in the Manchester Arena bombing, told Newsnight: "The fact that he has been able to inflict more pain, more suffering on innocent people is sickening and outrageous."
Families of five victims expressed "absolute disbelief" that Abedi "has been allowed to cause danger to life" in a letter to justice secretary Shabana Mahmood.
The Glade of Light Memorial dedicated to the memory of those who died at the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017PAFollowing the attack, the Ministry of Justice has suspended access to kitchens in prison separation centres.
Mark Fairhurst, national chairman of the POA, had called for "cooking facilities and items that can threaten the lives of staff" to be removed immediately.
"I do not know why we are so terrified of upsetting terrorist offenders. We are appeasing them instead of treating them as the threat that they represent," he said.
The government has committed to carrying out a full independent review into how the attack was able to happen. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said it was clear "something went terribly wrong" in the management of Abedi.
