The Manchester bomber plotter has viciously attacked three prison officers. Hashem Abedi, the brother of the Manchester Arena bomber, Salman Abedi, attacked the prison officers with hot cooking oil and homemade weapons at HMP Frankland, leaving them with life-threatening injuries.
The officers were hospitalised, with one female officer since discharged.
Abedi is already serving a 55-year sentence for his involvement in the 2017 bombing. He had previously assaulted a prison officer at Belmarsh prison.
The attack has led to calls from unions representing prison officers for change to protect prison workers further – calls including banning prisoners from working in kitchens amid fears of copycat attacks.
Manchester bomber plotter attacks three prison officers with hot oil and knife
Warning prison officers will die after Manchester bomber attack – ‘Why did he have boiling oil?’
Explainer: This headline is overtly sensational, combining a dramatic warning of death with a provocative question—”Why did he have boiling oil?”—to evoke shock and fear. It lacks context and nuance, potentially fuelling panic and portraying the incident in an emotionally charged manner. The framing may reflect bias by implying systemic failure without substantiated detail.
- The Daily Mirror asks why he had access to boiling oil and says prison staff are calling for rapid action to ensure they are protected. Jails are in a desperate crisis that will lead to a prison officer being murdered by an inmate, experts say. Steve Gillan, the general secretary of the Prison Officers’ Association, is demanding urgent action including staff being issued stab-proof vests.
Horrific injuries of prison officers attacked by Manchester Arena bomb plotter revealed as MPs demand – stop appeasing extremists in our jails
Explainer: This headline is highly emotive and sensational, using phrases like “horrific injuries” and “stop appeasing extremists” to provoke outrage. It combines graphic imagery with a political demand, potentially steering readers towards a particular viewpoint. The dramatic framing risks bias by emphasising punishment over context or systemic issues within the prison system.
- The Daily Mail says ministers must stop appeasing jailed terrorists after a brutal attack left three prison officers ‘millimetres’ from death, a top Tory said on Sunday. The paper reports Conservative justice spokesman Robert Jenrick added prison officials need to regain control from Islamist extremists allowed to ‘rule the roost’ behind bars.
Ban inmates from cooking after Hashem Abedi assault, says prison union
Explainer: This headline is less sensational than others but still simplifies a complex issue. By focusing on a reactive measure—”ban inmates from cooking”—it frames all prisoners as potential threats, potentially stoking fear. While it quotes the prison union, it offers no context about the broader conditions or specific circumstances, which may lead to a skewed perception.
- The Guardian reports on the call from unions representing prison officers to ban inmates from cooking in jail. The paper says staff fear copycat incidents could start to spring up.
Arena Jihadist’s jail attack: The smiling assassin
Explainer: This headline is highly sensational and emotive, using loaded terms like “Jihadist” and “smiling assassin” to provoke fear and anger. The language personalises and villainises the individual in an almost tabloid style, prioritising shock value over nuanced reporting. Such framing risks reinforcing stereotypes and contributes to a potentially biased, dehumanising narrative.
- The Sun says terrorist Hashem Abedi was “silent and grinning” as he stabbed and scalded three prison officers in a horrific attack, with sources saying it was a miracle they survived. Monster Abedi hoarded sachets of butter before melting them down for a “hot oil” attack on a female prison officer.
