Parsons Green bomber tells judge he is ‘destined for hellfire’ at hearing over attack on prison officer
Ahmed Hassan allegedly attacked officer with Manchester Arena bomber’s brother and another terror offender
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The Parsons Green bomber has told a judge he is “destined for hellfire” at a hearing over an alleged attack on a prison guard.
Ahmed Hassan, who partially detonated a homemade device on a packed London Underground train in 2017, is accused of the assault alongside Hashem Abedi, the Manchester Arena bomber’s brother, and a third terror offender.
Hassan and Abedi refused to leave their cells for a hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, but both appeared via video-link from high-security HMP Frankland on Thursday.
The defendants formally entered not guilty pleas, but addressed Senior District Judge Paul Goldspring.
“I want you to know that I hate you very much because you are a judge, judging by other than the law of Allah,” Hassan told him.
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“You will be destined for hellfire unless you repent and submit yourself to the law of Allah. I am not represented and evidence has not been disclosed to me.”
Mr Goldspring told the two men, who did not have legal representation present, it was up to them to ”do something about it“ if they wanted lawyers at their next court appearance in May.
Abedi, 24, Hassan, 21, and Muhammed Saeed, 23, are charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Prosecutor Nicholas Alexander told the court the three defendants were out of their cells on 11 May last year, when they entered an office and attacked a prison officer as he sat at a desk.
Mr Alexander said the trio had to be “pulled off” Paul Edwards as they attacked him at HMP Belmarsh, southeast London.
Mr Edwards received cuts to his head and bruising, the court heard, and has ongoing hearing problems as a result of the attack.
Abedi denied the offence on Thursday, telling the court: “I did assault that filthy pig, but I don't see any harm in doing that.”
He also denied a charge of assaulting a second member of staff at the high-security prison, Nick Barnett, adding: “I don’t see any wrongdoing.”
Abedi, who was appearing on his 24th birthday, previously refused to attend the final weeks of his trial for helping his brother Salman prepare for the Manchester Arena bombing.
He was convicted of the murder of the 22 victims for his role and sentenced to life in prison last year.
Hassan was also jailed for life in 2018, after injuring 51 people when his homemade bomb partially exploded on a London Underground train in Parsons Green.
The defendants were remanded in custody ahead of a hearing at Woolwich Crown Court on 5 May.
Saeed, originally from Old Trafford in Manchester and currently awaiting sentence for another matter, appeared via video link from HMP Whitemoor in Cambridgeshire on Thursday.
He spoke to confirm his identity and to enter a not guilty plea, and was remanded in custody until the same date.
Additional reporting by PA