'I survived Manchester Arena attack - we need a memorial to recognise our loss'
Terror attack survivors and grieving families today demand a monument to remember victims in a new campaign backed by the Mirror.
Nearly 4,000 have lost their lives in terror atrocities in the UK since 1970, but there is no universal memorial to honour their agony. As tomorrow marks eight years since the Manchester Arena bombing left 22 dead and more than a 1,000 injured and traumatised, victims are calling on the government to erect a physical tribute to ensure nobody is forgotten.
Last night Brendan Cox, whose Labour MP wife Jo Cox was murdered by a terrorist in 2016, backed our fight and said: 'What we remember as a society matters - and the lack of a monument to honour victims of terror attacks has made many survivors feel like they don't count.'
In March, security minister Dan Jarvis launched a landmark consultation for a National Remembrance Day for Victims and Survivors of Terrorism, which is due to close next month, but this does not include plans for a physical shrine. Survivors say a memorial should be erected as part of the day to act as a focal point for remembrance events, not dissimilar to the Cenotaph war memorial in central London.
Manchester survivor Abi Quinn, who was just 12 when she narrowly missed terrorist Salman Abedi's explosion and is still in therapy for the trauma, said: 'As someone directly impacted by terrorism, and knowing how long the effects can last, we need a memorial to recognise the pain and the loss we're still dealing with. It's so important to keep the memory and our voices alive.
Key terror attacks in the UK
21 November 1974: Birmingham pub bombings - IRA bombs exploded in two pubs in Birmingham, killing 21 people and injuring 182.
21 December 1988: Lockerbie disaster - Pan Am Flight 103 was blown up while in flight over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 259 passengers and crew and 11 Lockerbie residents.
20 March 1993: Warrington bomb attacks - two bombs exploded in litter bins in a shopping precinct in Warrington, Cheshire, killing a three-year-old boy and injuring 55 people.
July 7 2005 - 7/7 London bombings – conducted by four separate Islamist extremist suicide bombers. 52 killed and around 700 more were injured.
22 May 2013: British soldier Lee Rigby murdered in Woolwich, southeast London, by Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, two Islamist extremists.
16 June 2016: Labour MP Jo Cox murdered by white nationalist Thomas Mair outside her constituency surgery in Birstall, West Yorks.
22 March 2017: Westminster attack – Islamist extremist Khalid Masood drove a car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge in London, killing three and injuring almost fifty, one of whom died two weeks later.
22 May 2017: Manchester Arena attack – suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated a homemade explosive device as people were leaving an Ariana Grande concert, killing 22 and injuring 1,017.
3 June 2017: London Bridge attack – three Islamist extremists drove a van into pedestrians on London Bridge before stabbing people in and around pubs in nearby Borough Market. Eight people were killed and at least 48 wounded.
29 November 2019: Fishmongers' Hall attack (London Bridge) – Islamist extremist Usman Khan fatally stabbed two people and injured two more at an event for reformed prisoners.
14 May 2010: MP Stephen Timms stabbed during a constituency surgery by Roshonara Choudhry, a British Islamic extremist.
15 October 2021: Conservative MP David Amess was fatally stabbed by terrorist Ali Harbi Ali at his constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.
"It's not just about remembering who we've lost, but it's about knowing we're not forgotten and we've not been cast aside and brushed under the carpet.'
Abi, a criminology student at the University of Liverpool, said organising a memorial and commemorative events should not be the responsibility of survivors and grieving families. She continued: 'It's hard enough for us to just come to terms with what we've been through; we shouldn't also be burdened with the pressure of figuring out a way to remember. It makes our pain that bit more difficult.'
Statues honouring those who lost their lives in specific terror attacks already exist, including the 7/7 memorial in London's Hyde Park, the Glade of Light in Manchester and the national memorial for British victims of overseas terrorism in Lichfield, Staffs. But survivors and the bereaved say a physical tribute to every UK terror victim is vital in representing the sheer scale of suffering.
Paul Price, who lost his partner Elaine in the Manchester Arena attack and sustained life-changing injuries, said: 'Terror attacks not only affect the bereaved, victims and survivors, it's an attack on everyone, it's an attack on the state - so having a physical memorial would be very healing to the country as a whole.
'When an attack like Manchester happens, it's front page news for weeks and then quickly becomes yesterday's news - but for the bereaved and survivors, the pain is ongoing forever.'
Paul, who will remember Elaine today (THURS) by enjoying a meal with her friends, added that a physical memorial would also act as a reminder of the ongoing threat of terrorism. Although it's something we don't like to think about, there have been terrorist attacks in the UK for decades, and sadly, there will be more.'
Michelle Jones, whose daughter Saskia, 23, was murdered in the Fishmongers' Hall attack on London Bridge in November 2019, agrees.
She added: 'It [a physical memorial] would serve as a visual reminder to the general public of the impact of terrorism and its consequences. It has taken too many years for a memorial and we are still waiting.
'Saskia died as a victim of an attack on the State. A physical memorial predominantly ensures our loved ones are not forgotten and it would act as a central point for us all to come together and find support in the healing process, as well as representing our strength and resilience.
'Although this consultation for a day of remembrance is a good start, it is my hope that a physical memorial will be actioned by the Government as a matter of urgency. They owe it to those we have lost as well as the people who continue to struggle on a daily basis.'
Calls for a physical monument for terror victims were first made in 2018 as part of a Survivors' Charter by Survivors Against Terror, a network of people impacted by terror attacks. In a report by the organisation, an IPSOS survey revealed 78% of respondents would support a monument.
The Charter's other demands include a day of remembrance, which is currently under government consultation, and an addition to the UK honours system, which would recognise the sacrifice of those injured or bereaved by terrorism.
Survivors Against Terror last night backed our campaign and said: 'Victims of terror attacks aren't picked for who they are - but as innocent representatives of our country. That means the government has a particular responsibility to honour their memory and a permanent memorial is a good place to start.'
On May 22, 2017, terrorist Salman Abedi detonated a makeshift explosive device as more than 14,000 people left the Manchester Arena venue after an Ariana Grande concert. The blast left 22 innocent people dead – including eight-year-old Saffie Rose Roussos.
A memorial would also bring solace to those impacted by historic attacks. These include the Birmingham IRA pub bombings on November 1, 1974, which killed 21 and injured 182. Fourteen years later in 1988, 243 passengers, 16 crew members and 11 residents were killed when terrorists detonated a bomb on board Pan Am Flight 103 as it flew over the Scottish town of Lockerbie.
In July 1990, Conservative MP Ian Gow was assassinated by the IRA when a booby trap bomb exploded under his car outside his home in East Sussex. Three years later in 1993, IRA bombs were detonated in several locations across Warrington, Cheshire, killing a three-year-old boy and 55 others.
In April 1999, terrorist David Copeland set off three nail bombs in London targeting the black, Bangladeshi and gay communities, killing three people, including a pregnant woman, and injuring 129. And in May 2013, British soldier Lee Rigby was murdered in Woolwich, southeast London, by Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, two Islamist extremists armed with a handgun, knives and a cleaver. The government was approached for comment.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
8 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Evil terrorist confesses he masterminded 7/7 bombings – but could be freed in DAYS despite ‘grave concerns from cops'
FURY erupted last night over the imminent release on to British streets of a terrorist who has admitted being a mastermind behind 9/11 and the 7/7 London bombings. Despite his confession while in US custody Haroon Aswat, 50, could still be freed from a secure unit onto UK streets without a full risk assessment within days. 4 Haroon Aswat, 50, could be freed from a secure unit onto UK streets without a full risk assessment within days Credit: John Cobb 4 In 1999 Aswat helped Finsbury Park mosque hate preacher Abu Hamza set up a US terror camp According to US court documents obtained by The Sun, the al-Qaeda fiend confessed he was a 'mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks and a 2005 terrorist attack in the UK'. But he could be released from a secure psychiatric unit within days thanks to a legal loophole blocking him from being subjected to stringent risk checks. Click here to watch The Sun's documentary on the horrific 7/7 bombings - Britain's worst ever terror attack Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said: 'This despicable man was behind one of the most deadly attacks in modern history. He should never experience freedom again." In April, we told how worried counter-terror chiefs — who believe Aswat, 50, is a continuing threat to national security — had to apply for permission to keep tabs on him. But he will be subject only to a notification order requiring him to register his address and tell police of his future travel plans. We put in legal requests for the disclosure of statements made to the High Court during the application for the notification order. Aswat was arrested but never put on trial for the 7/7 bombings which claimed 52 lives and injured 800 on the capital's Tube trains and buses. But it can now be revealed that he confessed to his role while in a US jail in 2017 following his extradition on other terror charges. The US District Court document states: 'The defendant's crimes are incredibly serious. He is a terrorist and foot soldier of al-Qaeda trained to commit acts of violence. 'His comments while in prison and his numerous disciplinary violations indicate he still supports al-Qaeda and remains dangerous. Al Qaeda 'mastermind' linked to 7/7 attack set to be freed to walk UK streets despite fears he is 'still a risk' 'In 2017 he told staff he was associated with al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden was his 'commander' and that he would 'behead all of you'. 'In March 2017 the defendant stated, 'if you think I am a terrorist, I don't shy away from my responsibility', and also stated he was a mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks and a 2005 terrorist attack in the UK.' In his witness statement Det Chief Supt Gareth Rees, head of operations for the Met's SO15 Counter Terrorism Command, said of Aswat: 'He has spoken positively of his time with al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and expressed aspirations to reconnect with them. 'Based on my experience, this is conduct which gives me grave concerns about the risk which the defendant poses to the UK's national security and to the public. 4 Aswat has admitted being a mastermind behind the 7/7 London bombings Credit: EPA 'The assessment of medical practitioners is that he currently has capacity to make complex decisions and understand complex restrictions when mentally stable. 'However, he may temporarily lose capacity if he were to relapse into a psychotic state.' Aswat trained in al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan months before the 2001 terror attacks which claimed more than 3,000 lives. Documents also revealed his name on a ledger recovered from a house in Pakistan where the 9/11 'architect' Khalid Sheikh Mohammed stayed. In 1999 Aswat helped Finsbury Park mosque hate preacher Abu Hamza set up a US terror camp. In 2002 he stayed at an al-Qaeda safe house in Pakistan where he met two 7/7 bombers. In 2005 police traced 20 calls to a phone linked to Aswat made by the 7/7 bombers before their attack. That year Aswat was arrested in Zambia while possessing a terror manual and suspected bomb parts. He was deported to the UK and held under a US arrest warrant. Aswat fought extradition on mental health grounds but after a nine-year battle was sent to the US in 2014. A year later he pleaded guilty to terror charges. His 20-year jail term was cut to seven years because of time detained here at Broadmoor Hospital. Aswat, of Batley, West Yorks, was deported back to the UK in December 2022 and is held under the Mental Health Act at Bethlem Royal Hospital in South London. Doctors say he is well enough to be released 'in the relatively near future' but UK law means he cannot be formally risk-assessed while detained. 4 Aswat as also confessed to involvement in 9/11 Credit: Getty A report compiled in 2022 by psychiatrist Dr Richard Taylor concluded he still posed a serious risk. It highlighted Aswat has 'continued to express violent extremist Islamic ideology' even when in a relatively stable mental state. Other police officers who gave statements to the High Court in April also expressed concerns. Det Sgt David Taylor said: 'I assess the defendant has a significant involvement within Islamist extremism, involvement in terrorism and a long-standing association with others holding radical beliefs. 'I believe the defendant's US conviction, historic involvement with Islamist extremist groups and previously reported mindset alongside his vulnerable and fragile mental health do pose a potential risk to the security of the UK.' Det Insp Karen Bradley warned of danger if Aswat was excluded from normal risk checks applied to terrorists after release. No formal terrorist risk assessment has been carried out since the defendant's return here Mr Justice Jay She said: 'In my professional judgment, I believe that Mr Aswat still poses a potential terrorist risk.' The High Court was told that, owing to his detention, Aswat was not allowed to be assessed under Extremism Risk Guidance protocols. Under the notification order, he will not be under surveillance or wear a tag and can travel abroad if he tells cops in advance. Granting the order, Mr Justice Jay noted: 'No formal terrorist risk assessment has been carried out since the defendant's return here. 'The circumstances of his detention have precluded that. 'However, on the basis of the material which is available the defendant has been assessed by various police officers that he remains a risk to national security.' Protecting our national security is the very first priority of this government and if any individual poses a threat to that security A Government spokesman We had to formally notify Aswat of our request for more details before the Met Police agreed to release them and also agreed to notify medics caring for him prior to publication. Papers also revealed police and courts were obliged to consider his human rights when applying for the notification order. A Government spokesman said: 'Protecting our national security is the very first priority of this government and if any individual poses a threat to that security, the police and intelligence services have a range of powers they can apply to deal with that threat. 'We will always do whatever is necessary inside the law to protect the public from any risk posed by former terrorist offenders or people of terrorist concern.'
Telegraph
9 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Starmer takes on Khan in battle over Heathrow's third runway
Sir Keir Starmer is preparing to face down Sir Sadiq Khan and Labour backbenchers to force through a third runway at Heathrow. The west London airport has unveiled the details of its long-awaited £50bn expansion plan, which it said could lift capacity by 80pc to 150m passengers a year. The proposals have the support of the Prime Minister and the Chancellor, who believe airport expansion is essential to boosting Britain's growth. However, the plans have provoked a backlash from Sir Sadiq, who has long opposed a third runway, and some Labour backbenchers. The Mayor of London said on Thursday that airport expansion was not compatible with net zero. Ministers fear Sir Sadiq could launch a legal challenge that would delay expansion by years and add to costs even if it proved unsuccessful. The Prime Minister is prepared to use new laws to block Sir Sadiq from turning to the courts in a bid to get spades in the ground at Heathrow before the end of this parliament. Whitehall sources signalled they were looking at legislation that would stop the Mayor from dragging the decision through the courts. This includes planning reforms announced earlier this year to end the 'challenge culture' that Sir Keir said had delayed many vital infrastructure projects. 'We are looking at introducing legislation to curb the ability of campaigners to use judicial reviews to block infrastructure projects,' said one government source. It follows decades of opposition from environmental campaigners to a third runway at Europe's busiest airport. A source said ministers were preparing for criticism from within Labour. Sir Sadiq said: 'I remain unconvinced that you can have a new runway at Heathrow, delivering hundreds of thousands of additional flights every year, without a hugely detrimental impact on our environment.' The Labour Mayor did not say whether he would seek a judicial review once the plans were formally lodged but warned that he would 'be keeping all options on the table in how we respond.' John McDonnell, Labour's former shadow chancellor, whose Hayes and Harlington constituency would be affected by the proposals, vowed to fight Heathrow expansion 'all the way'. Mr McDonnell said he was already in talks with leaders from other London boroughs about mounting a legal challenge and had 'put money aside' for a long court battle. 'I think it's inevitable there'll be legal action,' he said. 'We've consistently opposed it, and every time we've been to court on this issue, we've won.' Rachel Reeves was largely responsible for reviving the third runway project as part of her push for growth, and allies of the Chancellor said the expansion plan had her 'full-throated' support. In a rebuke to the Mayor, a source said Ms Reeves would do 'what it takes to deliver a third runway'. 'The Chancellor is determined Britain remains the best connected place to do business,' the source said. Ms Reeves has previously stated she wanted 'spades in the ground' by the next election and planes using the runway by 2035. The Chancellor said the new proposals submitted by Heathrow showed Britain was 'one step closer to expanding our biggest airport' in a move she said would 'boost investment in Britain, increase trade for businesses, and create up to 100,000 jobs.' Heathrow's £49bn plan will see a new runway constructed to the north-west of the airport, which will extend over the M25. Two new terminal buildings will be built and existing facilities expanded. The number of annual flights would jump from 480,000 today to as many as 756,000. Heathrow bosses said the new 2.2-mile landing strip would lift capacity to 150 million passengers a year, almost 80pc more than the number who used the airport in 2024. Construction will start as early as 2029, with the runway operational by 2035, though the full expansion of the terminals could take until 2060. The runway itself is projected to cost £21bn. The new terminals would cost £12bn and the modernisation of the existing ones some £15bn. The project will involve the destruction of about 750 homes in the area and the construction of a new section of motorway between junctions 14 and 15 of the M25. Heathrow has said expansion would boost UK GDP by almost 0.5pc by 2050. The plans revive those approved by Parliament in 2018, which means they may not face a further Commons vote unless the Government decides to deviate significantly from that blueprint. It also makes it less likely that the runway will face opposition from within the Cabinet. Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, said: 'I am pleased to have received the initial Heathrow expansion proposals – a significant step towards unlocking growth, creating jobs, and delivering this vital national infrastructure to drive forward our Plan for Change. 'We'll review proposals over the summer and move quickly to progress this transformational project.' Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary, previously opposed Heathrow expansion but more recently insisted it would be 'ridiculous' to resign over the issue. He said the Government's position was that airport expansion could go ahead so long as it was compatible with the UK's legal-binding carbon budgets. It is understood that this position remains unchanged. The latest budget, published by the independent Climate Change Committee earlier this year, did not explicitly rule out airport expansion. However, it did say that the aviation industry's emissions – which primarily come from aircraft exhausts – needed to fall by 17pc between 2023 and 2040. It means Heathrow must set out ways to reduce the emissions of aircraft that use the hub in order to argue that a third runway is compatible with net zero. In its report, the Climate Change Committee said the aviation sector could lower emissions through greater investment in green technologies such as sustainable aviation fuels, hydrogen fuel cells or electric aircraft, or by reducing demand for flying. Another potentially contentious element of the plans is its impact on the M25, the country's busiest motorway. Heathrow's plans call for the M25 to be diverted into a tunnel at a cost of £1.5bn so that a full-length runway can be built above it. Airport bosses insisted this would not cause disruption to motorists. A new section of road 130 meters west of the existing M25 would be built in its entirety. Vehicles would then be diverted onto the new section at an agreed time so that the current M25 could be closed and the runway extended towards the east. Thomas Woldbye's Heathrow's chief executive, said: 'It has never been more important or urgent to expand Heathrow. We are effectively operating at capacity to the detriment of trade and connectivity. 'With a green light from [the] Government and the correct policy support underpinned by a fit for purpose regulatory model, we are ready to mobilise and start investing this year in our supply chain across the country.' Eighty-four million passengers flew from Heathrow in 2024, averaging 230,000 per day. This put it ahead of rivals including Amsterdam Schiphol, Frankfurt and Paris Charles de Gaulle. However, these airports, which have up to six runways, continue to threaten Heathrow's status as Europe's main airport hub. Supporters of a third runway say expansion is needed to support Britain's global trade ambitions. The plan submitted to the Government on Thursday is not the only proposal for how to build a third runway. Hotel tycoon Surinder Arora, who is one of the biggest landowners at Heathrow, earlier this week unveiled an alternative proposal that he claimed would be cheaper and avoid the need to rebuild the M25. Heathrow argues that the motorway would need to be redeveloped regardless to handle the extra traffic expected from expansion of the airport. It currently has no rail connections to the west, with the Elizabeth Line and Heathrow Express services terminating there, and will not be served by HS2.
Daily Record
37 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Four bodies found after baby girl strapped to car seat in stranger's garden
The infant was found alone in a yard by a local resident earlier this week. A baby girl's parents, uncle and gran have been found dead after the infant was discovered strapped to a car seat in a stranger's garden. The baby was discovered alone inside the yard after a resident on Highway 20, near Tigrett, in Tennessee, alerted police at about 3:11pm local time on Tuesday, July 29. Authorities confirmed a child had been left in a Dyer County yard and was now safe. A probe was launched amid concern the girl's parents and relatives could not be contacted. The girl's paternal grandmother said she last had contact with her son at 6:34am on Monday while he headed home from Big River Steel. It comes after a woman, 20, was found dead on bus with 26 iPhones glued to her body, reports the Mirror. Family members said none of those missing would have consciously left the child behind. Just hours later, officials discovered the bodies off Carrington Road. The Dyer County District Attorney's Office confirmed that the girl's parents James Wilson, 21, and Adrianna Williams, 20, were found dead. Cortney Rose, 38, and Braydon Williams, 15, the baby's maternal grandmother and uncle, were also found dead. Officials discovered two vehicles connected to the family, a black Dodger Charger and a White SUV, near the crime scene. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigations is now leading the investigation with assistance from the Dyer County Sheriff. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigations said: "The investigation, including efforts to identify and apprehend the suspect or suspects, remains active and ongoing." The investigation is active and ongoing. In an update shared today, the sheriff's department issued details of a suspect wanted by officials. Austin Robert Drummond is wanted on suspicion of first-degree murder, kidnapping and several other charges. He was described as 5'10 with brown hair, blue eyes and a goatee. They said his appearance might have been altered, according to officials. Police said he should be considered armed and dangerous. Dyer County Sheriff Jeff Box said on Monday: "This is a deeply saddening day for our community. We are committed to uncovering the truth and ensuring justice is served." Anyone with any information has been asked to contact the Dyer County Sheriff's Office at 731-285-2802.
