It’s been almost five years since Manchester was shocked to its core by the tragic events that took place at Manchester Arena on May 22nd, 2017. A night of fun and happiness resulted in tragedy for many, with 22 Ariana Grande concert-goers losing their lives to terrorism. Now, ITV will investigate what led to such shocking events, with ’emotional contributions’ from the families of the victims as part of a two-part documentary.
Airing next week across two nights – the first episode on 11th April and the second on the 14th April – the series will delve into the failings of the MI5, alongside the numerous missed opportunities to capture Salman Ramadan Abedi ahead of the bombing. The documentary will also investigate other failings such as why first responders were unable to enter the building and help victims in the immediate aftermath of the attack.
Across the two episodes, viewers will uncover details about the attacker’s family and upbringing, before detailing the harrowing events that took place that night. First-hand accounts from May 22nd will reveal the shocking after-effects, while survivors will also share stories of family members lost and their plans to rebuild their lives.
Lord David Anderson, who was tasked by the Government to conduct an independent review of MI5 and counter-terror policing following the attack, states: “Some important intelligence on Abedi linking him to terrorism was missed early in 2017. MI5 interpreted that intelligence as relating to ordinary crime. With hindsight, it’s pretty obvious that that intelligence related to a developing terrorist plot.”
“It’s all about setting tripwires, trying to work out which of those former subjects of interest might be likely to re-engage. That’s the trickiest thing of all in what MI5 do.”
Watch World’s Collide: The Manchester Bombing on ITV at 9pm April 11th, with the second instalment following at 9pm on April 14th.