For 196 days Arena families listened to harrowing evidence - the inquiry report must now be as brave
manchestereveningnews.co.ukFamilies who lost loved ones in the Manchester Arena bombing have urged the chairman of the resulting public inquiry to be 'clear sighted and brave' in drawing up recommendations 'to ensure real change is effected and this country becomes a safer place'.
In a statement issued as the inquiry ended after 196 days, they called the atrocity in May 2017 a 'dreadful act of terror' and criticised evidence of 'organisational failings at every turn', but praised 'acts of true heroism' from the public and emergency services workers who tried their best to help the injured and dying.
Final closing submissions, notably from Greater Manchester Police and the Government on the part of security service MI5, were delivered on Tuesday and the chairman, Sir John Saunders, is expected to publish his second report, focusing on the response of the emergency services to the attack, later in the summer.
The third and final report, considering whether the security services and counter-terrorism police could, and should, have prevented the bombing, and the radicalisation of suicide bomber Salman Abedi, will follow.
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