A convicted racist murderer and a terrorist involved in the Manchester Arena bombing have been involved in a heated confrontation behind bars at a maximum-security prison.
Prison Clash Revealed in Parole Report
The incident between David Norris and Hashem Abedi was detailed in a report released after Norris's parole application was rejected last week. The report found Norris, 49, continues to exhibit patterns of racist behaviour while incarcerated.
Norris, who was convicted in 2012 for the racially motivated murder of 18-year-old Stephen Lawrence in 1993, admitted to targeting Abedi during a spell in segregation at HMP Belmarsh. He called the 28-year-old a "terrorist" and swore at him, claiming life had become "too much" on a difficult day.
Offence-Based Attack or Racist Behaviour?
Norris claimed his outburst was an "offence-based response" and not racially motivated. He stated that he and other prisoners "all took umbrage" with Abedi due to his connection to the 2017 Manchester Arena attack, which killed 22 people at an Ariana Grande concert.
"He said it was the ‘Manchester bomber’ and they ‘all took umbrage with him’", the report read. Norris insisted he did not use a racial slur during the clash. He added that terrorism had always "riled" him, referencing historical IRA attacks, and claimed he had been raising money for the Manchester bombing victims at the time.
Hashem Abedi is serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 55 years for helping his brother, Salman Abedi, who detonated the bomb. A judge ruled Hashem Abedi had "blood on his hands even if he didn’t detonate the bomb".
Parole Denied Amid Ongoing Concerns
The Parole Board denied David Norris's release last week due to significant ongoing concerns about his behaviour and security risk. The report highlighted issues including continued racism, accusations of violence, and phone smuggling.
Stephen Lawrence's mother, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, has stated Norris remains "a dangerous racist who should never be let out of prison". She described him as a coward who has failed to acknowledge the life he took or the profound impact on her family.
Meanwhile, Hashem Abedi faces further serious charges. In October, he appeared in court accused of the attempted murder of three prison officers in a terror-motivated attack at HMP Frankland in April, where he allegedly poured boiling oil on them and used homemade weapons. He has pleaded not guilty to these charges.
Police maintain that Norris, imprisoned alongside Gary Dobson for the murder, was one of six people involved in Stephen Lawrence's killing. Failures in the initial Metropolitan Police investigation meant others evaded justice.
