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| Manchester Arena bombing extradition 'delayed by Libya clashes' | Manchester Arena bombing extradition 'delayed by Libya clashes' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The extradition of Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi's brother has been delayed by fighting in Libya, the BBC has been told. | The extradition of Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi's brother has been delayed by fighting in Libya, the BBC has been told. |
| According to the country's interior minister, a Libyan court has agreed to return Hashem Abedi to the UK. | According to the country's interior minister, a Libyan court has agreed to return Hashem Abedi to the UK. |
| Mr Abedi - who is wanted in relation to the deaths of 22 people - was taken into custody in Tripoli shortly after the May 2017 terror attack. | Mr Abedi - who is wanted in relation to the deaths of 22 people - was taken into custody in Tripoli shortly after the May 2017 terror attack. |
| But fighting on the outskirts has been blamed for delays in the process. | But fighting on the outskirts has been blamed for delays in the process. |
| The Interior Minister of Libya's UN-backed government, Fathi Bashagha, told the BBC the court had agreed to extradite Mr Abedi to the UK because he is a British citizen. | The Interior Minister of Libya's UN-backed government, Fathi Bashagha, told the BBC the court had agreed to extradite Mr Abedi to the UK because he is a British citizen. |
| But a week after the ruling, he said, the capital came under attack by forces loyal to General Khalifa Haftar, a commander from Eastern Libya. | But a week after the ruling, he said, the capital came under attack by forces loyal to General Khalifa Haftar, a commander from Eastern Libya. |
| Mr Bashaga said Libya was "awaiting the procedure" which would allow it to hand Mr Abedi over to the UK. | |
| But "because of the war, everything is stopped", he said, and the extradition would not happen until fighting had ended. | |
| "We are paying all our attention to how to push back Haftar's militia attacking Tripoli. This is important for us now." | |
| The Minister insisted that the prison where Abedi is being held is secure, despite the conflict threatening the capital. More than 250 people have been killed since the offensive began on 4 April . | |
| He accused the UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, of abandoning Tripoli in its hour of need by withdrawing British special forces and embassy staff from the city when it came under attack. | |
| Relations between the countries had been "damaged" by this, he said, and it would be difficult to rebuild them in a short space of time. | |
| The Foreign Office has confirmed all remaining British staff were withdrawn from Tripoli due to the worsening violence. | |
| It said it maintains full diplomatic relations with Libya and is in contact with the government. |