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The Manchester Arena Inquiry: Damaging revelations, with more to come

Whilst the United Kingdom has been wrestling with the global pandemic, in a converted court room in Manchester, Sir John Saunders has been grappling with the fateful events at the Manchester Arena on 22 May 2017. Salman Abedi killed 22 people in a suicide bombing targeted at the foyer as crowds left an Ariana Grande concert. Seven of those killed were under 18. The youngest, Saffie-Rose Roussos was just eight years of age. In 2019 Salman’s brother Hashem Abedi, was extradited from Libya, and on 20 August 2020 he was jailed for 55 years for his role in the attack.
So considerable is the scope of the Saunders inquiry, that it will report in three stages – on security at the Manchester Arena, secondly the response of the emergency services and thirdly the radicalisation of Salman Abedi, and whether the intelligence agencies and counter-terrorism police could have done more. On Thursday afternoon the first volume of Saunders’ report was published, following 32 days of evidence. 53 witnesses have been interrogated, and over 1000 documents examined.
The report makes for sobering reading. Struggling under the weight of a large bomb in a heavy rucksack, Salman Abedi was able to wander in and out of the Arena, unchallenged, three times. For periods he secreted himself in a CCTV blind spot. Whilst hardly fitting the demographic of a pop concert largely attended by teenage girls and their parents, no staff member challenged Abedi, even after a member of the public raised their suspicions. The Manchester Arena adjoins Manchester Victoria train station, and a total of five British Transport Police officers were assigned to police the departing crowd. One was supposed to be in the foyer, where Abedi struck, but “Inexplicably, two officers disappeared for a two-hour meal break and didn’t return until after the attack, while the most senior officer never even turned up.”
The inquiry correctly notes that responsibility for the attack lies with the Abedi brothers, who fashioned and conducted one of the most diabolical terrorist outrages in our history. But it does criticise the venue and those involved in its running and security, and enough has already emerged in evidence given, to demonstrate that the second stage, devoted to the response of the emergency services, is likely to be brutal.
Saunders main proposal to mitigate risk and improve security in the future is a ‘protect duty’ which would be incumbent on all major venues, with staff trained to consider terrorist threats as part of their duties. This would require legislation, and the government is consulting about what a protect duty would mean in practice. In some ways we are travelling in that direction – security at major football matches is demonstrably different to what it was in earlier decades, and the risk of a terrorist attack at places like Old Trafford is actively planned for.
However, before Salman Abedi’s actions, no one running the Manchester Arena seemed to consider it could happen at their place of work. Yet the UK at the time had been assigned a terrorist threat rating of severe, meaning an attack was considered ‘highly likely.’ Islamist Khalid Masood had attacked parliament that March, killing five people, and the Bataclan massacre in Paris in 2016 had demonstrated jihadists considered music venues to be a viable target.
Shifting a culture of ‘it won’t happen here’ or ‘it can’t happen to me’ is a major challenge. A second problem with changing the nature of security at public events, is staffing. Many stewards at popular sporting and entertainment venues are on short term or zero hours contracts, are poorly paid and lack training. Whilst Security Industry Authority (SIA) regulation has improved the private security industry, it is not an occupation many consider for a career, and it relies heavily on the cornerstones of the precarious economy - migrant labour, the semi-retired, students and those previously rejected by other employers. Getting staff to understand that if something does not look right, it is probably not right, and they need to act, is vital. Such a mindset, along with police officers being where they were paid to be, could have disrupted Salman Abedi’s activities that evening. The Saunders inquiry does recognise however, that had Abedi been harried or moved on, he would likely still have detonated his device, although the plum target of a crowded foyer could have been denied him.
The Manchester Arena bombing left a permanent scar on the city of Manchester. It is correct that the public inquiry into it has begun in such a thorough and robust fashion. More is certain to come.
by: Dr Paul Stott levant
Dr Paul Stott is a writer and commentator. Follow him on twitter @MrPaulStott
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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